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lodigame.c F1 approves General Motors as 11th team on grid for 2026

'A Compassionate Visionary': Former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh Passes Away

Formula 1 has confirmed that it has reached an agreement in principle with General Motors to add an 11th team to the grid for 2026, with the new outfit likely to be branded as Cadillac. The chance of the GM bid joining the grid appeared to be dead in the water just months ago after initially being led by Andretti Global but has now accelerated to being a fully-fledged team for the season after next. F1 had initially rejected an Andretti-GM bid and closed the door on that specific proposal until 2028. The sport has had 10 teams on the grid since 2017, and that looked likely to remain the case for the foreseeable future. But in an announcement on Monday, F1 said it had "maintained a dialogue with General Motors, and its partners at TWG Global, regarding the viability of an entry following the commercial assessment and decision made by Formula 1 in January 2024." F1 said GM has "achieved operational milestones and made clear their commitment to brand the eleventh team GM/Cadillac." GM has also made a commitment to enter as a single engine supplier at a later time, according to the F1 news release, although it will need a customer deal with an existing manufacturer for its debut season in 2026 and likely for 2027 too. F1 teams had been lukewarm about the original bid led by Michael Andretti, son of 1978 world champion Mario. Michael Andretti had angered F1 teams and the sport's owner, Liberty Media, by calling the sport "greedy" for blocking his attempts to join the grid. He stepped away from his leadership role at Andretti Global last month. While opposed to the Andretti side of the bid, F1 was very open to the idea of bringing a manufacturer of General Motors' size and stature to the grid, especially if it would commit to building its own engines in future. The entry of a team branded Cadillac would be another huge boost for the sport as its popularity continues to boom in the U.S. It remains to be seen whether the team will bring an American driver, but it now means there are two additional spots on the grid for emerging and existing talent. The American team will be based in a UK factory near Silverstone racetrack that Andretti Global started work on earlier this year. Greg Maffei, the of Liberty Media, said: "With Formula 1's continued growth plans in the U.S., we have always believed that welcoming an impressive US brand like GM/Cadillac to the grid and GM as a future power unit supplier could bring additional value and interest to the sport. "We credit the leadership of General Motors and their partners with significant progress in their readiness to enter Formula 1. We are excited to move forward with the application process for the GM/Cadillac team to enter the Championship in 2026." Mark Reuss, president of General Motors, added: "As the pinnacle of motorsports, F1 demands boundary-pushing innovation and excellence. It's an honor for General Motors and Cadillac to join the world's premier racing series, and we're committed to competing with passion and integrity to elevate the sport for race fans around the world. "This is a global stage for us to demonstrate GM's engineering expertise and technology leadership at an entirely new level."President Joe Biden and others in American politics paid tribute to President Jimmy Carter following his death on Dec. 29. Carter, the longest-lived American president in history, turned 100 years old in October, though he was already in hospice care at the time. He was diagnosed with melanoma in 2015, and the cancer metastasized to his liver and brain and he long outlived the prognosis. In a statement, the Carter family said that the Navy veteran, former Georgia governor, and former president “died peacefully ... surrounded by his family.” Reactions from lawmakers and U.S. officials quickly came in following the news. “Over six decades, we had the honor of calling Jimmy Carter a dear friend,” the Bidens wrote. “With his compassion and moral clarity, he worked to eradicate disease, forge peace, advance civil rights and human rights, promote free and fair elections, house the homeless, and always advocate for the least among us. He saved, lifted, and changed the lives of people all across the globe.” “He was a man of great character and courage, hope and optimism,” the First Couple said, confirming that Biden had ordered a state funeral for Carter. President-elect Donald Trump, who had well-known political disagreements with Carter, also paid tribute to the former president. “The challenges Jimmy faced as President came at a pivotal time for our country and he did everything in his power to improve the lives of all Americans. For that, we all owe him a debt of gratitude.” Trump said he and his wife, Melania, were “thinking warmly” of Carter’s family and urged others to keep the Carters “in their hearts and prayers.” House Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), who led House Democrats for 20 years, also weighed in. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) was also laudatory of the former president. “Because of his work in brokering the Camp David Accords and his advocacy with Habitat for Humanity, the world is a more peaceful place, and more Americans have a place to call home,” Johnson said. “No one can deny that President Carter led an extraordinary life of service to his country. May he rest in peace.” Incoming Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) called Carter “a dedicated public servant and a man of faith.” Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), who will lead Democrats in the incoming Congress, said Carter “personified the true meaning of leadership through service, through compassion, and through integrity.” Carter, as both the former governor of the Peach State and the former president, will be honored by public observances both in Washington, D.C. and Georgia, the Carter Center said. That will likely include a state funeral in Washington, which could see Carter’s body taken in a procession down Pennsylvania Avenue before being laid in state at the Capitol Rotunda. Historically, former presidents’ funerals have been held at the National Cathedral in the capital. Biden has said in the past that Carter asked him to deliver his eulogy when the time came. According to the Carter Center, Carter’s body will ultimately be interred in Plains, Georgia.Stocks start week with gain of 282 points amid rally in banking sector

Dell, HP, Workday, and more set to report earnings Tuesday( MENAFN - IANS) New Delhi, Dec 27 (IANS) The congress has cancelled all its programmes for seven days as a mark of respect to late former Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh who passed away on Thursday night here at the AIIMS. Taking to X, Congress General Secretary (Organisation) K.C. Venugopal wrote: "As a mark of respect for the departed former Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh ji, all official programmes of the Indian National Congress, including the Foundation Day celebrations stand canceled for the next seven days. "This includes all the agitational and outreach programs. Party programmes will resume on 3rd January, 2025. The party flag will be flown at half-mast during this period of mourning." Dr. Manmohan Singh died at the age of 92 on Thursday after being admitted to the AIIMS in a critical condition. The news of his death was confirmed by the AIIMS in a statement that read: "With profound grief, we inform the demise of former Prime Minister of India, Dr. Manmohan Singh aged 92. He was being treated for age related medical conditions and had sudden loss of consciousness at home on December 26. Resuscitative measures were started immediately at home. He was brought to the medical emergency at AIIMS. Despite all efforts, he could not be revived and was declared dead at 9.51 p.m." Dr. Singh, who served as the country's Prime Minister from 2004 to 2014, was known for his transformative role in steering India's economy through a period of significant liberalisation. He is survived by his wife, Gursharan Kaur, and their three daughters. Funeral arrangements are expected to be announced soon, with the nation's leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, expected to participate in honouring his memory. Dr. Singh's death marks the end of an era in Indian politics. His leadership and legacy will continue to inspire future generations. In April this year, Dr. Manmohan Singh retired from Rajya Sabha, with Kharge praising his long parliamentary career. Dr. Manmohan Singh shot to prominence as the country's Finance Minister in the government headed by P.V. Narasimha Rao during 1991-96, having brought in sweeping reforms that transformed the economy. As the two-term Prime Minister of the UPA, he stayed at the top post from 2004 and 2014, and served as a member of the Rajya Sabha till early this year. In his political career, Dr. Singh has been a member of the Rajya Sabha since 1991, where he was Leader of the Opposition between 1998 and 2004. Dr. Manmohan Singh was sworn in as Prime Minister on May 22 after the 2004 general elections and took the oath of office for a second term on May 22, 2009. He represented Assam for five terms in the Upper House and shifted to Rajasthan in 2019. His last intervention in Parliament was against demonetisation, describing it as an "organised loot and legalised plunder”. MENAFN26122024000231011071ID1109033404 Legal Disclaimer: MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.

Mumbai: Western Railway Wins Three National Efficiency Performance Shields

Manchester United’s miserable season suffered another Boxing Day blow as captain Bruno Fernandes was sent-off in a 2-0 defeat at lowly Wolves. Fernandes saw red for the third time this season early in the second half for a second bookable offence. Wolves took full advantage to make it two wins in two games under new boss Vitor Pereira. Matheus Cunha’s goal direct from a corner opened the scoring before he teed up Hwang Hee-chan with virtually the last kick of the game. United, who slipped to 14th, have won just twice in seven Premier League games since Ruben Amorim took charge last month and were insipid in attack even before Fernandes’ dismissal. Victory was enough to lift Wolves out of the relegation zone at the expense of Leicester, who visit leaders Liverpool later. The optimism that greeted Amorim’s early days in charge already seem a distant memory as the Portuguese has been left in no doubt over the scale of the task he faces to turn around a fallen giant. Amorim reacted to a 3-0 humbling at home to Bournemouth on Sunday by making just two changes. Leny Yoro came into the defence, while Rasmus Hojlund replaced Joshua Zirkzee up front. The Dane, though, struggled to make any impact as Cunha showed the value of a forward in form. Wolves look set to lose their top scorer to suspension over a FA charge for misconduct for a clash with an Ipswich member of staff after a 2-1 defeat earlier this month that cost Gary O’Neil his job. Only Mohamed Salah, Erling Haaland, Cole Palmer and Alexander Isak have scored more goals in the Premier League this season than the Brazilian international. United, by contrast, were let down by their talisman. Fernandes was walking a tightrope from a first-half booking when he recklessly dived in on his Portuguese international team-mate Nelson Semedo two minutes into the second period. Even the normally argumentative Fernandes had few complaints when referee Tony Harrington brandished a second yellow and a red. The 30-year-old’s first red card of the campaign against Tottenham was overturned on appeal before he was also dismissed in a 3-3 draw at Porto in the Europa League. Wolves almost immediately made the man advantage count when Semedo squared for Jorgen Strand Larsen to tap in. The Norwegian, though, had strayed offside before making contact with the cross. United’s frailties from set-pieces have been routinely exposed since Amorim succeeded Erik ten Hag. For the fifth consecutive Premier League game they conceded from either a corner or free-kick in what proved to be the decisive goal. Cunha’s in-swinging delivery flew in at the far post with United goalkeeper Andre Onana sandwiched between two Wolves players and the Cameroonian’s pleas for a foul fell on deaf ears. Wolves’ nervousness allowed United to press for an equaliser in the closing stages. But a Harry Maguire header that floated into the arms of Jose Sa was the closest the 10-man Red Devils came to redemption on another sobering night for Amorim. Hwang rubbed salt into United wounds deep into stoppage time after he and Cunha were left with just Onana to beat between them. BBCAt this time of year, many people pause to reflect on the true meaning of philanthropy, asking themselves: What is the best way to give? To whom should I give? And, perhaps most importantly, why should I give? Fifteen years ago, I published Dead Aid: Why Aid Is Not Working and How There Is a Better Way for Africa. I argued that government-to-government aid, rather than fuelling economic growth, inadvertently harms the very countries it is meant to help. Since then, philanthropists have often sought my advice about their desire to grapple with seemingly intractable challenges, such as extreme poverty or climate change. In this season of giving, donors should ask themselves 12 key questions when considering how, where, and why to give. The first question is relatively straightforward: What motivates you? Are you looking to spread joy – for example, by supporting the arts – or alleviate suffering by aiding communities affected by war or natural disasters? Both approaches are vital and commendable. Second, how can you use your time and financial resources effectively? In a world of competing needs, it’s not just how much we give but how we do it that ultimately determines our ability to effect positive change. For example, consider a philanthropist with $100mn to donate. While allocating the entire amount to improving education could result in better-resourced schools, students might still struggle to attend due to poor health, inadequate transportation, or malnutrition. Recognising this, the philanthropist might choose to divide the $100mn among initiatives supporting education, health, food, and transportation. Yet splitting the funds equally – allocating $25mn to each cause – will inevitably dilute the impact. Such an approach might be enough to prevent conditions from getting worse, but it is unlikely to drive transformative change. The third question to consider is whether to delegate decision-making to an established organisation or create your own philanthropic foundation. Both strategies come with tradeoffs. Delegating enables you to harness the skills and expertise of teams with proven track records, but there is always a risk that the organisation you support will fail to achieve its goals – or worse, exacerbate the problem. Building and managing an organisation gives you the freedom to pursue your personal goals and vision. But over time, this entity’s culture, norms, and bureaucratic processes can diverge – and even conflict – with its founding mission. As employees become focused on advancing their own careers, the problem the organisation was created to address may become a justification for its existence rather than something to be resolved. Fourth, what is your time frame? Do you expect immediate results, or are you willing to wait for years, perhaps even decades? After all, philanthropy can lay the groundwork for breakthroughs that donors may never live to see. Fifth, what kind of impact do you want to make? You could spread your resources widely or focus on a single goal – a “moonshot” with a low likelihood of success, such as curing cancer or Alzheimer’s. Though risky, supporting groundbreaking research could have far-reaching consequences. Sixth, should you collaborate with governments or operate independently? There is a strong case for working with policymakers to provide public goods like education, health care, and infrastructure. After all, government budgets dwarf even the wealthiest philanthropist’s resources. For example, while Bill Gates’s estimated net worth is $105bn, it amounts to less than six months of California’s annual state budget. Seventh, how should you approach innovation? Should you harness technology and data to make your organisation operate more efficiently and maximise the impact of your giving? Alternatively, you could use your philanthropy to drive the development of revolutionary technologies designed to address societal challenges at scale. Eighth, should you partner with fellow philanthropists or go it alone? Pooling capital could enhance your impact, but working independently allows you to avoid disagreements over who and what to fund. That said, confronting complex challenges rarely allows for a solitary approach. Ninth, should your giving be public or private? Both approaches offer unique advantages. Public actions, such as signing the Giving Pledge, facilitate the sharing of best practices, inspire others to support important causes, and enable you to compare your efforts to your peers through platforms like GuideStar. On the other hand, private giving is arguably the purest form of altruism. “Stealth” philanthropy also provides the freedom for trial and error without the pressure of public scrutiny. Although experimentation is essential for tackling complicated problems, public failures can invite criticism and be dismissed as a waste of money. Tenth, how should you structure your giving? Financial support can take many forms beyond traditional cash donations. While grant-making remains the most common approach, there are compelling alternatives. Loans, for example, can be structured with extended maturity periods and below-market interest rates, encouraging discipline and accountability by requiring recipients to repay the funds. Eleventh, should you establish a board of directors to oversee your philanthropic endeavour, and if so, will you reserve seats for family and friends? Opting for a more formal structure – for example, by designating permanent seats for prominent public figures, such as religious leaders or university presidents – can help ensure impartial oversight. Lastly, what is your exit strategy? Are you planning to wind down your philanthropic efforts by a specific date, or will you establish mechanisms to sustain them indefinitely? The “run down the clock” approach is exemplified by businessman and philanthropist Chuck Feeney, who donated billions of dollars to academic and technical institutions during his lifetime and died in 2023 after successfully giving away his money. By contrast, the Rhodes Trust and Nobel Prize are designed to exist in perpetuity. Whether you’re a wealthy donor, a politician, a CEO, or simply a concerned parent, the call to philanthropy resonates with us all. I hope these questions encourage deeper reflection on how to maximise the effectiveness of generosity. – Project Syndicate l Dambisa Moyo, an international economist, is the author of four New York Times bestselling books, including Edge of Chaos: Why Democracy Is Failing to Deliver Economic Growth – and How to Fix It. Related Story Qatar Sports for All Federation launches Muay Thai Winter Camp HMC teams up with IHI to enhance healthcare quality, safetyKiller Whale that Carried Dead Calf for 1,000 Miles Gives Birth Again to Live CalfFacebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save KYIV, Ukraine — NATO and Ukraine will hold emergency talks Tuesday after Russia attacked a central city with an experimental, hypersonic ballistic missile. escalating the nearly 33-month-old war. The conflict is “entering a decisive phase,” Poland’s Prime Minister Donald Tusk said Friday, and “taking on very dramatic dimensions.” Ukraine’s parliament canceled a session as security was tightened following Thursday’s Russian strike on a military facility in the city of Dnipro. In a stark warning to the West, President Vladimir Putin said in a nationally televised speech the attack with the intermediate-range Oreshnik missile was in retaliation for Kyiv’s use of U.S. and British longer-range missiles capable of striking deeper into Russian territory. Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks Friday during a meeting with the leadership of the Russian Ministry of Defense, representatives of the military-industrial complex and developers of missile systems at the Kremlin in Moscow. Putin said Western air defense systems would be powerless to stop the new missile. People are also reading... 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Change is coming New sick leave law promises change, but adds worry for Nebraska businesses Former Millard West wrestling champion dies after being struck by vehicle near Nebraska City Stromsburg man faces child pornography charges Dukes land six on Central Conference volleyball Ukrainian military officials said the missile that hit Dnipro reached a speed of Mach 11 and carried six nonnuclear warheads, each releasing six submunitions. Speaking Friday to military and weapons industries officials, Putin said Russia will launch production of the Oreshnik. “No one in the world has such weapons,” he said. “Sooner or later, other leading countries will also get them. We are aware that they are under development. “We have this system now,” he added. “And this is important.” Putin said that while it isn’t an intercontinental missile, it’s so powerful that the use of several of them fitted with conventional warheads in one attack could be as devastating as a strike with strategic — or nuclear — weapons. Gen. Sergei Karakayev, head of Russia’s Strategic Missile Forces, said the Oreshnik could reach targets across Europe and be fitted with nuclear or conventional warheads, echoing Putin’s claim that even with conventional warheads, “the massive use of the weapon would be comparable in effect to the use of nuclear weapons.” In this photo taken from a video released Friday, a Russian serviceman operates at an undisclosed location in Ukraine. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov kept up Russia’s bellicose tone on Friday, blaming “the reckless decisions and actions of Western countries” in supplying weapons to Ukraine to strike Russia. “The Russian side has clearly demonstrated its capabilities, and the contours of further retaliatory actions in the event that our concerns were not taken into account have also been quite clearly outlined,” he said. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, widely seen as having the warmest relations with the Kremlin in the European Union, echoed Moscow’s talking points, suggesting the use of U.S.-supplied weapons in Ukraine likely requires direct American involvement. “These are rockets that are fired and then guided to a target via an electronic system, which requires the world’s most advanced technology and satellite communications capability,” Orbán said on state radio. “There is a strong assumption ... that these missiles cannot be guided without the assistance of American personnel.” Orbán cautioned against underestimating Russia’s responses, emphasizing that the country’s recent modifications to its nuclear deployment doctrine should not be dismissed as a “bluff.” “It’s not a trick ... there will be consequences,” he said. Czech Republic’s Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky speaks to journalists Friday during a joint news conference with Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andriiy Sybiha in Kyiv, Ukraine. Separately in Kyiv, Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský called Thursday’s missile strike an “escalatory step and an attempt of the Russian dictator to scare the population of Ukraine and to scare the population of Europe.” At a news conference with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, Lipavský also expressed his full support for delivering the necessary additional air defense systems to protect Ukrainian civilians from the “heinous attacks.” He said the Czech Republic will impose no limits on the use of its weapons and equipment given to Ukraine. Three lawmakers from Ukraine’s parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, confirmed that Friday’s previously scheduled session was called off due to the ongoing threat of Russian missiles targeting government buildings in central Kyiv. In addition, there also was a recommendation to limit the work of all commercial offices and nongovernmental organizations “in that perimeter, and local residents were warned of the increased threat,” said lawmaker Mykyta Poturaiev, who said it’s not the first time such a threat has been received. Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate said the Oreshnik missile was fired from the Kapustin Yar 4th Missile Test Range in Russia’s Astrakhan region and flew 15 minutes before striking Dnipro. Test launches of a similar missile were conducted in October 2023 and June 2024, the directorate said. The Pentagon confirmed the missile was a new, experimental type of intermediate-range missile based on its RS-26 Rubezh intercontinental ballistic missile. Thursday’s attack struck the Pivdenmash plant that built ICBMs when Ukraine was part of the Soviet Union. The military facility is located about 4 miles southwest of the center of Dnipro, a city of about 1 million that is Ukraine’s fourth-largest and a key hub for military supplies and humanitarian aid, and is home to one of the country’s largest hospitals for treating wounded soldiers from the front before their transfer to Kyiv or abroad. From tuberculosis to heart disease: How the leading causes of death in America have changed From tuberculosis to heart disease: How the leading causes of death in America have changed We're all going to die someday. Still, how it happens—and when—can point to a historical moment defined by the scientific advancements and public health programs available at the time to contain disease and prevent accidents. In the early 1900s, America's efforts to improve sanitation, hygiene, and routine vaccinations were still in their infancy. Maternal and infant mortality rates were high, as were contagious diseases that spread between people and animals. Combined with the devastation of two World Wars—and the Spanish Flu pandemic in between—the leading causes of death changed significantly after this period. So, too, did the way we diagnose and control the spread of disease. Starting with reforms as part of Roosevelt's New Deal in the 1930s, massive-scale, federal interventions in the U.S. eventually helped stave off disease transmission. It took comprehensive government programs and the establishment of state and local health agencies to educate the public on preventing disease transmission. Seemingly simple behavioral shifts, such as handwashing, were critical in thwarting the spread of germs, much like discoveries in medicine, such as vaccines, and increased access to deliver them across geographies. Over the course of the 20th century, life expectancy increased by 56% and is estimated to keep increasing slightly, according to an annual summary of vital statistics published by the American Academy of Pediatrics in 2000. Death Records examined data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to see how the leading causes of death in America have evolved over time and to pinpoint how some major mortality trends have dropped off. Infectious diseases lead causes of death in America According to a report published in the journal Annual Review of Public Health in 2000, pneumonia was the leading cause of death in the early 1900s, accounting for nearly 1 in 4 deaths. By the time World War I ended in 1918, during which people and animals were housed together for long periods, a new virus emerged: the Spanish Flu. Originating in a bird before spreading to humans, the virus killed 10 times as many Americans as the war. Many died of secondary pneumonia after the initial infection. Pneumonia deaths eventually plummeted throughout the century, partly prevented by increased flu vaccine uptake rates in high-risk groups, particularly older people. Per the CDC, tuberculosis was a close second leading cause of death, killing 194 of every 10,000 people in 1900, mainly concentrated in dense urban areas where the infection could more easily spread. Eventually, public health interventions led to drastic declines in mortality from the disease, such as public education, reducing crowded housing, quarantining people with active disease, improving hygiene, and using antibiotics. Once the death rates lagged, so did the public health infrastructure built to control the disease, leading to a resurgence in the mid-1980s. Diarrhea was the third leading cause of death in 1900, surging every summer among children before the impacts of the pathogen died out in 1930. Adopting water filtration, better nutrition, and improved refrigeration were all associated with its decline. In the 1940s and 1950s, polio outbreaks killed or paralyzed upward of half a million people worldwide every year. Even at its peak, polio wasn't a leading cause of death, it was a much-feared one, particularly among parents of young children, some of whom kept them from crowded public places and interacting with other children. By 1955, when Jonah Salk discovered the polio vaccine, the U.S. had ended the "golden age of medicine." During this period, the causes of mortality shifted dramatically as scientists worldwide began to collaborate on infectious disease control, surgical techniques, vaccines, and other drugs. Leading causes of death tip toward lifestyle-related disease From the 1950s onward, once quick-spreading deadly contagions weren't prematurely killing American residents en masse, scientists also began to understand better how to diagnose and treat these diseases. As a result, Americans were living longer lives and instead succumbing to noncommunicable diseases, or NCDs. The risk of chronic diseases increased with age and, in some cases, was exacerbated by unhealthy lifestyles. Cancer and heart disease shot up across the century, increasing 90-fold from 1900 to 1998, according to CDC data. Following the post-Spanish Flu years, heart disease killed more Americans than any other cause, peaking in the 1960s and contributing to 1 in 3 deaths. Cigarette smoking rates peaked at the same time, a major risk factor for heart disease. Obesity rates also rose, creating another risk factor for heart disease and many types of cancers. This coincides with the introduction of ultra-processed foods into diets, which plays a more significant role in larger waistlines than the increasing predominance of sedentary work and lifestyles. In the early 1970s, deaths from heart disease began to fall as more Americans prevented and managed their risk factors, like quitting smoking or taking blood pressure medicine. However, the disease remains the biggest killer of Americans. Cancer remains the second leading cause of death and rates still indicate an upward trajectory over time. Only a few types of cancer are detected early by screening, and some treatments for aggressive cancers like glioblastoma—the most common type of brain cancer—have also stalled, unable to improve prognosis much over time. In recent years, early-onset cancers, those diagnosed before age 50 or sometimes even earlier, have seen a drastic rise among younger Americans. While highly processed foods and sedentary lifestyles may contribute to rising rates, a spike in cancer rates among otherwise healthy young individuals has baffled some medical professionals. This follows the COVID-19 pandemic that began in 2020. At its peak, high transmission rates made the virus the third leading cause of death in America. It's often compared to the Spanish Flu of 1918, though COVID-19 had a far larger global impact, spurring international collaborations among scientists who developed a vaccine in an unprecedented time. Public policy around issues of safety and access also influences causes of death, particularly—and tragically—among young Americans. Gun control measures in the U.S. are far less stringent than in peer nations; compared to other nations, however, the U.S. leads in gun violence. Firearms are the leading cause of death for children and teens (around 2 in 3 are homicides, and 1 in 3 are suicides), and deaths from opioids remain a leading cause of death among younger people. Globally, the leading causes of death mirror differences in social and geographic factors. NCDs are primarily associated with socio-economic status and comprise 7 out of 10 leading causes of death, 85% of those occurring in low- and middle-income countries, according to the World Health Organization. However, one of the best health measures is life expectancy at birth. People in the U.S. have been living longer lives since 2000, except for a slight dip in longevity due to COVID-19. According to the most recent CDC estimates, Americans' life expectancy is 77.5 years on average and is expected to increase slightly in the coming decades. Story editing by Alizah Salario. Additional editing by Kelly Glass. Copy editing by Paris Close. Photo selection by Lacy Kerrick. This story originally appeared on Death Records and was produced and distributed in partnership with Stacker Studio. Get local news delivered to your inbox!

Jimmy Carter had the longest post-presidency of anyone to hold the office, and one of the most active. Here is a look back at his life. 1924 — Jimmy Carter was born on Oct. 1 to Earl and Lillian Carter in the small town of Plains, Georgia. 1928 — Earl Carter bought a 350-acre farm 3 miles from Plains in the tiny community of Archery. The Carter family lived in a house on the farm without running water or electricity. 1941 — He graduated from Plains High School and enrolled at Georgia Southwestern College in Americus. 1942 — He transferred to Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta. 1943 — Carter’s boyhood dream of being in the Navy becomes a reality as he is appointed to the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. 1946 — He received his naval commission and on July 7 married Rosalynn Smith of Plains. They moved to Norfolk, Virginia. 1946-1952 — Carter’s three sons are born, Jack in 1947, Chip in 1950 and Jeff in 1952. 1962-66 — Carter is elected to the Georgia State Senate and serves two terms. 1953 — Carter’s father died and he cut his naval career short to save the family farm. Due to a limited income, Jimmy, Rosalynn and their three sons moved into Public Housing Apartment 9A in Plains. 1966 — He ran for governor, but lost. 1967 — Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter’s fourth child, Amy, is born. 1971 — He ran for governor again and won the election, becoming Georgia’s 76th governor on Jan. 12. 1974 — Carter announced his candidacy for president. 1976 — Carter was elected 39th president on Nov. 2, narrowly defeating incumbent Gerald Ford. 1978 — U.S. and the Peoples’ Republic of China establish full diplomatic relations. President Carter negotiates and mediates an accord between Egypt and Israel at Camp David. 1979 — The Department of Education is formed. Iranian radicals overrun the U.S. Embassy and seize American hostages. The Strategic Arms Limitations Treaty is signed. 1980 — On March 21, Carter announces that the U.S. will boycott the Olympic Games scheduled in Moscow. A rescue attempt to get American hostages out of Iran is unsuccessful. Carter was defeated in his bid for a second term as president by Ronald Reagan in November. 1981 — President Carter continues to negotiate the release of the American hostages in Iran. Minutes before his term as president is over, the hostages are released. 1982 — Carter became a distinguished professor at Emory University in Atlanta, and founded The Carter Center. The nonpartisan and nonprofit center addresses national and international issues of public policy. 1984 — Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter volunteer one week a year for Habitat for Humanity, a nonprofit organization that helps needy people in the United States and in other countries renovate and build homes, until 2020. He also taught Sunday school in the Maranatha Baptist Church of Plains from the mid-’80s until 2020. 2002 — Awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. 2015 — Carter announced in August he had been diagnosed with melanoma that spread to his brain. 2016 — He said in March that he no longer needed cancer treatment. 2024 — Carter dies at 100 years old. Sources: Cartercenter.org, Plains Historical Preservation Trust, The Associated Press; The Brookings Institution; U.S. Navy; WhiteHouse.gov, GallupI'm A Celebrity twist as public vote is suspended and Ant and Dec make trial announcementThe AP Top 25 men’s college basketball poll is back every week throughout the season! Get the poll delivered straight to your inbox with AP Top 25 Poll Alerts. Sign up here . OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Creighton point guard Steven Ashworth likely won’t play Tuesday in the No. 21 Bluejays’ game against San Diego State in the Players Era Festival in Las Vegas. Ashworth sprained his right ankle late in a loss to Nebraska on Friday, and coach Greg McDermott said he didn’t know how long he would be out. “He stepped on a guy’s foot on a 3-point shot and you’re defenseless in that situation,” McDermott said after the game. “He torqued it pretty good.” An athletic department spokesman said Monday that Ashworth’s status was doubtful for the game against the Aztecs. Ashworth is Creighton’s second-leading scorer with 16 points per game and leads the team with 6.4 assists per game. He also is 23 of 23 on free throws. ___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP collegebasketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball

Michael Croley | (TNS) Bloomberg News In the old days of 2016, when golfers visited the Dormie Club in West End, North Carolina — 15 minutes from the hotbed of American golf, Pinehurst — they were greeted by a small, single-wide trailer and a rugged pine straw parking lot. Related Articles Travel | A preview of some stunning hotels and resorts opening in 2025 Travel | Travel scams that can hurt your credit or finances Travel | Travel: Paddle the Loxahatchee River, one of two National Wild and Scenic Rivers in Florida Travel | 7 family-friendly ski resorts in the US that won’t break the bank Travel | It’s beginning to look like another record for holiday travel That trailer is now long gone. A gate has been installed at the club’s entrance and a long driveway leads to a grand turnaround that sweeps you past a new modern clubhouse that’s all right angles, with floor-to-ceiling glass. Seconds after you exit your car, valets are zipping up in golf carts, taking your name, then your bags, handing you keys to your own golf cart, and then zipping off to drop your luggage in the four-bedroom cottage where you’ll stay. A short walk past an expansive putting green you’ll find the pro shop — and then you’ll see the club’s most elegant feature: its golf course. The changes have all come about because Dormie Club was acquired in 2017 by the Dormie Network, a national group that owns seven private golf facilities from Nebraska to New Jersey. (“Dormie” is a word for being ahead in golf — the names were coincidences.) A key to the network’s success has been its ability to find clubs ripe for acquisition, with outstanding golf courses and existing on-site lodging or the room to build it, says Zach Peed, president of the company and its driving force. After investing in Arbor Links Golf Club in Nebraska City, Nebraska, in late 2015, Peed believed he saw an opening in the golf market: a new model of hospitality for traveling professionals who wanted a pure golf experience that eschewed the pools and pickleball courts of their home clubs. His clubs would become dream golf-only getaways for avid players and their pals. “Dormie Network’s concept was sparked by having played competitive golf in college, combined with an element of experiencing and understanding hospitality,” says Peed. “It made sense to blend the two to create golf trips that had more value than just playing golf. We want genuine hospitality to help create unforgettable memories and new friendships.” Part of that formula has been in the lodging strategy; in North Carolina, 15 four-bedroom cottages now are a short golf cart ride from the main clubhouse. In each, golfers all have their own king-size bed and en suite bathroom. A large common room is dominated by a flatscreen television along with a well-stocked bar and snacks. That ability to be both social, or tucked away in your room, extends to the expansive new clubhouse, where a high-ceilinged bar area with blond wood creates an inviting space for dining and drinking, and several hideaway rooms allow for more private diners with just your group. So far, their commitment to hospitality has been helping them expand in both membership and club usage in the increasingly competitive market for traveling golfers. Major players such as Bandon Dunes, Pinehurst Resort, and the Cabot Collection have created — or renovated — a new paradigm where golfers get dining and lodging that’s as showcase-worthy as the courses they play. Comfortable sheets and options beyond pub food aren’t luxuries anymore, but staples for many group trips. Dormie has answered that call by focusing on both the big details and the small ones, like having the dew wiped off each golf cart at dawn outside guest cottages before the day begins or having a tray of cocktails delivered to golfers as their final putt falls on the 18th green. These touches may seem over-the-top, but they stand out in a world where golf travel is increasingly popular — and expensive — after the pandemic lockdowns. Since 2020 there has been an explosion in participation in the sport, with new golfers picking up the game and avid golfers playing more: According to the National Golf Foundation, a record 531 million rounds were played in 2023, surpassing the high of 529 million set in 2021. Supreme Golf, a public golf booking website, reports in its latest analysis that the average cost of a tee time has increased to $49 in 2024 from $38 in 2019, a 30% increase. Those cost increases are also on par (pun intended) with the costs of private clubs and initiation fees during that same period, where membership rosters that were dwindling pre-COVID now have waitlists 50 to 60 people deep, according to Jason Becker, co-founder and chief executive officer of Golf Life Navigators, which matches homebuyers with golf course communities. “There’s been an absolute run on private golf. If we use southwest Florida as an example, where there are 158 golf communities, this time last November, only five had memberships available,” he said. That inability to find a club close to home has pushed avid golfers to look farther afield, choosing national memberships at clubs that require traveling, usually via plane, to play. Dormie has capitalized on this growing segment, offering two types of memberships: First, a national membership, where members pay an initiation fee and monthly dues just as they would at a local club, but instead of one club they have access to seven. The second option is a signature membership for companies, “which allows businesses to use our properties for entertainment needs and requires a multiyear commitment,” Peed says. The network also offers a limited number of regional memberships for those living within a certain distance of one of its clubs. Dormie Network declined to provide the cost of memberships or monthly dues and wouldn’t give membership numbers, but the clubs are structured to lodge roughly 60 golfers, max, on-site at any given property at any time. The total number of beds across the network’s portfolio of properties has increased from 84 in 2019 to 432 today. It saw a jump from 10,000 room nights in 2019 to 48,000 in 2023. This September, Dormie opened GrayBull in Maxwell, in Nebraska’s, Sandhills region. Dormie Network tabbed David McLay Kidd to build the course, who also built the original course at Oregon’s famed Bandon Dunes. Kidd says of the property GrayBull sits on, “It’s like the Goldilocks thing: not too flat, not too steep. It’s kind of in a bowl that looks inwards, and there are no bad views.” That kind of remote destination, where the long-range views are only Mother Nature or other golf holes, is what drives many traveling golfers these days. Peed says his team leaned on years of knowledge from Dormie’s acquisitions as they built GrayBull, which started construction in 2022. “We had an understanding of how our members and guests use the clubs that allowed us to take a blank canvas in the Sandhills of Nebraska and combine all of the greatest aspects of each Dormie property into one.” ©2024 Bloomberg L.P. Visit bloomberg.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Creighton point guard Steven Ashworth likely won't play Tuesday in the No. 21 Bluejays' game against San Diego State in the Players Era Festival in Las Vegas. Ashworth sprained his right ankle late in a loss to Nebraska on Friday, and coach Greg McDermott said he didn't know how long he would be out. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.

Ministry orders smooth fuel supply in Punjab, Islamabad Directives issued on Monday after Islamabad and cities in Punjab underwent lockdown due to a protest KARACHI/ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Energy (Petroleum Division) has directed the district administration in Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) and Rawalpindi and Lahore divisions to devise and enforce a comprehensive plan for uninterrupted supply of petroleum products in view of current lockdown situation. The directives were issued on Monday after Islamabad and cities in Punjab underwent lockdown due to a protest of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). According to directives, issued to Commissioners ICT and Lahore and Rawalpindi divisions, due to the current lockdown situation in Lahore, Islamabad and Rawalpindi, access to these cities has been restricted, which is significantly impacting the transit of tank lorries carrying crude oil to Attock Refinery Limited (ARL) and POL [petrol, oil, lubricant] products, which could lead to disruption in their supply. While the Oil & Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) is actively engaging with the district administration, the ministry asked commissioners to issue immediate necessary instructions to the people concerned in the district administration to devise and enforce a comprehensive plan to tackle the situation and ensure uninterrupted supply of crude oil to ARL and POL products across the affected cities. Earlier, in the wake of current lockdown situation in Punjab and Islamabad, the Petroleum Division (PD) and the Oil Companies Advisory Council (OCAC) had asked the Punjab administration and law-enforcement agencies (LEAs) to provide the oil-tankers lorries with safe routes for transportation of fuel in these areas to avoid any fuel shortage. In a letter written to chief secretary Punjab, inspectors generals of police (IGPs) of Islamabad and Punjab, the OCAC said the situation had deteriorated significantly over the past two days, with the highways’ closures severely delaying fuel transportation and posing a serious risk of stock depletion. The Lahore division serves as a major hub for economic and commercial activity and the inability to replenish fuel supplies on time will adversely affect essential services, daily operations and livelihoods of millions in this region and its surrounding areas. In the light of these challenges, the oil industry seeks the assistance of the Punjab administration and law-and enforcement agencies to facilitate the movement of oil-tankers in the areas and providing special conveys to ensure safe and secure transport of the tankers from Machike town to Lahore. The OCAC said measures were critical to maintain continuous fuel supply, especially in the Lahore division and to mitigate shortages. Meanwhile, the Directorate of Oil (DG Oil) in the Petroleum Division also issued an office memorandum to commissioners of Lahore, Rawalpindi and Islamabad pinpointing that given the lockdown situation in these regions, the fuel supply access to these cities had been restricted, which was impacting transit of tank lorries carrying the crude oil to ARL and POL products, which could lead to disruption in fuel supply.Tuesday’s game features the Gardner-Webb Runnin’ Bulldogs (2-3) and the SE Louisiana Lions (2-3) matching up at Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya in what should be a one-sided matchup, with a projected 77-66 win for heavily favored Gardner-Webb according to our computer prediction. Game time is at 12:30 PM ET on November 26. Based on our computer prediction, Gardner-Webb is a good bet to cover the point spread, which currently sits at 2.5. The two teams are projected to go over the 141.5 total. Catch tons of live college basketball , plus original programming, with ESPN+ or the Disney Bundle. Place your bets on any men’s college basketball matchup at BetMGM. Sign up today using our link. Gardner-Webb is 3-2-0 against the spread this season compared to SE Louisiana’s 4-0-0 ATS record. A total of three out of the Runnin’ Bulldogs’ games this season have hit the over, and one of the Lions’ games have gone over. The two teams average 140.6 points per game combined, 0.9 less than this matchup’s total. Bet on this or any men’s college basketball matchup at BetMGM. Rep your favorite players with officially licensed gear. Head to Fanatics to find jerseys, shirts, hats, and much more. Not all offers available in all states, please visit BetMGM for the latest promotions for your area. Must be 21+ to gamble, please wager responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, contact 1-800-GAMBLER .Three-month-old kit Roxie, who it is believed died due to stress caused by fireworks.(RZSS via SWNS) By Elizabeth Hunter via SWNS A zoo has issued a plea for people to avoid letting off Hogmanay fireworks - after Bonfire Night blasts caused the death of a baby red panda . Three-month-old Roxie, a red panda at Edinburgh Zoo , died after choking on her own vomit, as explosions boomed across the city throughout Bonfire Night. Roxie’s mother Ginger also died unexpectedly five days earlier, which may have been linked to fireworks. Ben Supple, the wildlife conservation charity’s deputy chief executive, said, “Edinburgh Council cannot create a fireworks exclusion zone around the zoo in time for Hogmanay due to the minimum consultation period required, so we are asking residents to help by not setting off fireworks which may frighten animals. “As always, we will do all we can to protect animals in the zoo from fireworks, including keeping them indoors and providing deep bedding where possible to reduce the impact of the noise.” (RZSS via SWNS) The charity’s call for tighter restrictions on fireworks has received enormous support since Roxie’s death in November. Ben added, “We have been inundated by messages from people who were shocked by what happened to Roxie and believe the UK government should ban fireworks from being sold to the public due to the severe impact they can have on animals. “Firework control zones are a positive step but only part of the solution as the noise from explosions can carry over long distances. So-called silent fireworks are also an improvement, though they can emit low frequency sounds which can cause distress to animals. “We believe displays should be restricted to organized events which use the latest light and drone technology and are completely silent. "This would help avoid devastating consequences for animals while ensuring that people can still enjoy traditional celebrations like Hogmanay.”

Rep. Lauren Necochea How much do Idaho women have to suffer before Republicans allow abortion care in medical emergencies and when health and fertility are threatened? This month, Idaho Attorney General Raul Labrador’s office gave its answer — endlessly. We must commend the courageous women who shared their stories before an Ada County judge, reliving the trauma they endured under Idaho’s draconian abortion ban. These women, plaintiffs in a lawsuit to clarify exceptions to the state’s near-total abortion ban, were excited about their pregnancies — until devastating medical diagnoses turned joy into agony. Jennifer Adkins shared how her fetus had a severe condition incompatible with survival and how she faced the threat of “mirror syndrome,” a life-threatening complication. Despite the risks, Idaho’s abortion ban forced her to travel out of state for care. Kayla Smith learned her fetus had fatal heart anomalies. With her own life at risk due to a history of preeclampsia, Smith had to take out a loan and travel hours to end her pregnancy humanely. These are two of the many stories that underscore the cruelty of Idaho’s laws. How did Labrador’s office treat these women, who already endured unimaginable pain? In his opening statement, the state’s lead attorney labeled their necessary medical procedures as “barbaric.” He dismissed their experiences as “hypotheticals” and trivialized their life-threatening predicaments. His contempt culminated in repeated interruptions of their tearful testimony, prompting the judge to reprimand him and assert that their “circumstances are very worthy of sympathy.” Unfortunately, Idaho’s GOP legislators did not write sympathy into the law. It prohibits abortion unless doctors and nurses can prove to a jury that the woman would have died without abortion care. Unfortunately, Idaho’s GOP legislators did not write sympathy into the law. It prohibits abortion unless doctors and nurses can prove to a jury that the woman would have died without abortion care. Clinicians — who are trained to keep us healthy — face the impossible situation of watching patients deteriorate or risk years in prison. Forcing doctors to delay care until death is imminent makes death more likely. We know of at least four women who have died because of abortion bans similar to Idaho’s. There are surely more. How many more women have to die? I’m afraid it’s a heartbreaking number. This reminds me of the swimming test used during the Salem Witch Trials. Suspected “witches” were thrown in the river. The logic was that a witch would stay afloat, but a river would accept an innocent woman, and she would sink. See the problem? To be exonerated as you’re drowning provides little assurance, just as it’s risky to be allowed abortion care only when you’re at death’s door. In Salem, there were no witches, just women. In Idaho today, there are just women who deserve medical care that keeps them healthy and preserves their fertility so they can have another chance at building the family of their dreams. Our school children deserve safe facilities. And after decades of letting buildings crumble, the Republican supermajority finally has a proposal. But there’s a catch. As I explained to my sixth-grader on our walk to school, the plan also cuts $60 million annually from the revenue stream that funds school operations. Her response summed it up well, “That sounds counterproductive.” Indeed, the bill helps repair facilities, but it’s a step backward in terms of our ability to support education. The most beneficial part of House Bill 521 would make $1 billion available over the next decade for construction, renovation, and maintenance. This could mean repairing the wing of a Pocatello high school that was gutted when faulty electrical wiring caused a fire. Additionally, the legislation adds funding to a pot created by property tax legislation last year. These dollars largely pay down existing bonds and levies, allowing the few dollars leftover to be used for current facilities needs. Analysts have not yet produced reliable numbers for how each district will be impacted, even as the bill advances. What’s clear is that the distribution is insufficient and inequitable. Valley View Elementary in Boundary County needs close to $20 million to replace an elementary school where a roof caved in, but will likely receive only a fraction of that. Last year West Ada failed to pass a $500 million bond to meet their building needs. The district might receive 40% of that amount. The bill arbitrarily caps the bond funds that districts that pre-date statehood can receive. This clearly targets Boise, the only district impacted. Boise Schools will consequently receive half the funding they would have received under equal treatment. While providing insufficient funding, the bill also makes it harder for school districts to fill the gap. Their option for doing so is through bonds and levies and the bill eliminates their option to hold these elections in August. This hit comes after Republican lawmakers nixed the March elections last year. Communities will have dwindling opportunities to pass funding measures. Also damaging is the upside-down tax package in the style Republican legislators have been passing for years. Through a reduction of the income and corporate tax rate from 5.8% to 5.695%, a family earning $80,000 annually will see $53 in savings, while a household bringing in $1,000,000 will receive $1,019. And a corporation will continue to pay a lower tax rate on its profits than the 6% sales tax Idahoans pay when they buy food, diapers, medicines, and other necessities. Idaho students deserve quality facilities, without having to swallow a bitter pill of slashed revenue for our schools’ future, inequitable investments, and lopsided tax policies. For democracy to work, elected leaders must have the freedom to act in the best interest of their constituents. This bedrock principle is now being severely undermined by Idaho’s House GOP leadership. We’re seeing historic levels of strong-arming around votes behind closed doors and harsh punishment for dissent. With the Idaho House looking more like the dysfunctional U.S. House of Representatives, there are harmful repercussions for Idahoans. At the heart of the conflict is our Joint Finance and Appropriations Committee. The committee’s recent departure from our decades-old budget-setting process consolidates power in the hands of a few people. The committee co-chairs are ramming through skeletal budgets they constructed without study and input from other committee members. Skeletal budgets leave out critical investments like raises earned by educators through Idaho’s teacher career ladder, the LAUNCH scholarships propelling young Idahoans to in-demand careers, and certain transportation funds. While the co-chairs claim they will go back and plug budget holes, services are now at risk. The first House vote on a skeletal budget was a test case. The bill passed 38-31 (with all 11 Democrats opposed), showing many Republicans objected to the new budget-setting scheme. That’s when the hammer came down. The next day saw an unprecedented vote on the House Floor in support of Speaker Moyle. The motion “to retain the speaker” received unanimous “yes” votes because no one was willing to fall into the trap of expressing disloyalty publicly. The Legislative Services Office couldn’t find any other instances of such a motion in state history. Immediately after, in a private caucus, House Republicans ousted the first female majority leader because she was among those opposing the new budgeting scheme. Research turned up only one other instance of a leadership change in the middle of a session, which occurred when a Senate leader was battling cancer. By making a historic example of the majority leader, the speaker sent a chilling message about the consequences of dissent. Skeletal budgets for different agencies are now zooming across the House Floor. Almost all pass on party-line votes, signaling Republicans are under immense pressure to toe the line. This budget scheme has given Speaker Moyle the singular power to block second-round funding bills that plug budget holes. It won’t matter what the Legislature as a whole wants because he can prevent votes from even taking place. And the speaker is on the record opposing LAUNCH scholarships, Medicaid services, and other crucial investments that make life better for Idahoans. The stakes are high, and the need for a government that faithfully represents the people is more crucial than ever. Idaho Democrats will continue to vote our conscience and defend a strong, transparent democracy. Investments in public education benefit all Idahoans. Regardless of whether we have children attending school at any given moment, the advantages of strong public education resonate throughout our communities. Unfortunately, the latest effort by the out-of-state voucher lobby and a faction of Republicans to implement a school voucher scheme poses a grave threat to our already underfunded schools and the state budget. House Bill 447 would start as a $50 million proposal to siphon public tax dollars to private, religious, and even for-profit institutions with zero accountability. What is particularly concerning is that the bulk of the money has no limits on eligibility. That means a working family in rural Idaho could subsidize private school tuition for millionaires in Boise. Data in states like Iowa back this up, showing voucher programs most often serve students from well-off families already enrolled in private schools. This not only creates a new budgetary obligation but also jeopardizes public school funding in future budgets. Additionally, voucher costs have a frightening propensity to explode, absorbing larger portions of the state budget. A recent analysis of vouchers in seven states between 2008 and 2019 revealed hundreds of millions of dollars being redirected to fund vouchers at the expense of local schools, despite a rise in public school enrollment. In Arizona, where only 8% of kids receive a voucher, the program is projected to cost a staggering $950 million next year, $320 million of which is unbudgeted. Utah’s original voucher bill had a $42 million price tag. Less than a year later, vouchers are projected to cost $150 million. Vouchers are too costly on their own. They are unfathomable in the context of our limited budget and the investments we’re failing to make in our children. Idaho already ranks last in the nation for per-pupil spending. Schools are struggling to retain qualified staff and we have over $1 billion in neglected facility needs. We’re also ignoring opportunities proven to boost student success. For example, almost every other state invests in preschool because every $1 invested returns up to $16 to the economy, and kids are more likely to enter kindergarten ready to learn. Today, 47% of Idaho’s children enter kindergarten already behind according to our Idaho Reading Indicator. Preschool is just one example of a proven investment that would increase student success. Vouchers, on the other hand, cut funding available to schools without generating any new educational services. HB 447 would largely serve as a giveaway to families who need it the least. We don’t have a dime to spare, let alone $50 million for a voucher subsidy scheme. For the sake of our children, our schools, and our future, Idaho must reject vouchers. Rep. Lauren Necochea All Idahoans should agree: the safety of our children is paramount. How we decide to protect them may differ from community to community. When it comes to guns in schools, current Idaho law allows locally elected school boards to set the policies they deem appropriate. Some districts keep guns out of schools unless they are in the hands of law enforcement. Others have policies providing oversight. Unfortunately, House Bill 415 is speeding through the Legislature and would undo local decision making, local training requirements, and collaboration with local law enforcement by overriding school management of firearms in schools. Today, school districts can require ongoing active shooter drills where employees test their ability to quickly distinguish between kids and assailants or mandate participation in meetings with local law enforcement to develop safety and incident response plans. School leaders can also use criteria to revoke privileges for staff who are not well-suited to the responsibility of carrying a firearm around children. In contrast, HB 415 circumvents local control and gives blanket permission to employees and volunteers who have taken a one-time concealed carry course and shot 98 rounds. Schools must allow them to carry firearms regardless of shooting skill, temperament, mental state, visual acuity, length of time since they took a course, or other factors. A major alarm bell should be that law enforcement does not support this approach. The Idaho Association of School Resource Officers and Idaho Sheriffs’ Association both oppose HB 415. It’s no wonder since experts have maintained that it is harder for police to respond to active shooters when unknown, untrained people are also engaging. Opening the door to an untrackable number of firearms means new liability for schools. The Idaho State University professor who shot himself in the foot during class and the Utah teacher who accidentally shot herself in a school bathroom are two recent examples of the risks. At least one Idaho school district has already been notified that its insurance company will drop it if this bill is enacted. We can only imagine that costs will rise for insurance companies that continue to provide coverage. Finally, this bill subverts the rights of teachers and parents who have come out in full force against this legislation. Parents won’t be able to ask whether their child’s teacher is armed, let alone demand more rigorous training requirements. One hundred Idahoans came out in opposition during the committee hearing. Only five individuals supported the bill, including the out-of-state lobbyist who brought the legislation. Homegrown Idaho solutions and evidence-based safety measures are better than a one-size-fits-all approach from special interests. As this bill moves across the rotunda, I hope the Senate will see the wisdom in rejecting it. When I was a kid, Idaho enjoyed a fairly healthy balance of political power. Democratic Governor Cecil Andrus served alongside a Republican lieutenant governor and for one legislative term, the Idaho Senate was evenly divided. As I grew up, Idaho veered rightward. Today, new migration patterns are rapidly accelerating the trend, and an interesting paradox has emerged in Boise State University’s new polling. The finds newcomers are 11 percentage points more likely to identify as Republicans and 10 percentage points less likely to identify as Independents than Idahoans who have lived here for more than 10 years. One would expect the increasingly Republican voting population to align tightly with the Republican supermajority in power, but that is not the case. In fact, the polling shows that Idahoans overwhelmingly agree with Democrats on the major issues of our day. A majority of Idahoans oppose the abortion ban the GOP enacted. Nearly 70% of voters trust their libraries to make decisions about the content they make available, while Republican lawmakers bring bills threatening librarians with jail time and expensive lawsuits. As GOP legislators push for school vouchers, only 49% of Idahoans approve, and support drops when respondents consider the diminished school funding they will cause. For the first time in the survey’s history, more voters thought Idaho was moving in the wrong direction compared with 40% who think Idaho is on the right track. A different poll showed strong opposition to Medicaid cuts and strong support for leaving Medicaid expansion in place, while the Republican supermajority seeks to slash Medicaid and repeal Medicaid expansion. Yet another poll revealed very strong support for investing in our dilapidated school facilities, an issue Republican lawmakers have refused to act on for years. These discrepancies underscore a stark contrast between the policy preferences of regular Idahoans and the legislation pursued by the dominant political party. To long-time Republicans who have been left behind by their party, I invite you to take a closer look at Idaho Democrats. For newcomers to Idaho who voted Republican in their former states, I invite you to get to know your Idaho Democratic candidates and our local issues. And every Idahoan should read the Idaho Democratic Party platform and compare it to the Idaho Republican Party platform, which is squarely outside the mainstream. For a representative democracy to function well, voters need to stay engaged, research candidates, and provide accountability when politicians ignore their views. If you, like a majority of Idahoans, support adequate school funding and safe facilities, oppose costly voucher schemes with zero accountability, support our libraries, or want the restoration of our reproductive freedoms, a vote for Idaho Democrats is your best bet. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said, “Budgets are moral documents” because they show our real values. Allocating our public dollars demands thoughtful, transparent deliberations. Unfortunately, recent moves by Republican legislative leaders have compromised Idaho’s process with serious consequences. The integrity of our nationally lauded budgeting process started eroding last year. GOP leaders knocked House Democrats down to just one member on the budget committee, taking away our proportional representation. This week, Republican co-chairs ushered in new procedures, beginning negotiations by cramming skeletal budgets through at the outset instead of studying funding needs first. Monday’s speed-budgeting spent about $2 billion per hour. This meant many omissions and errors, including one that nearly slashed annual teacher pay by $6,359. My Democratic colleagues rightfully voted against this careless approach. The skeletal budgets leave critical initiatives unfunded such as the LAUNCH scholarships for in-demand job training, interventions for the dangerous quagga mussels threatening our water, and upgrades to bridges that pose a safety risk. Small in scope, but still important, are items like guardian ad litem programs, which advocate for children as they navigate foster care. Budget committee leaders claim they will add funding, but they have backed Idaho into a devastating default budget. And they made it difficult to resolve harmful cuts. Once a budget is passed, rules require that two-thirds of the committee vote to reopen it, or seven of the ten members from the House and Senate. This threshold means a “no” vote counts more than twice as much as a “yes” vote. A few fringe legislators have the power to keep slash-and-burn budgets in place. What is the supermajority’s motivation? It appears to be about power. Traditionally, House leaders will hold off on approving one budget bill to prevent the Senate from adjourning, before they get something they want, and vice versa. The new process yielded a default skeletal budget to fall back on, creating a “hostage” legislative leaders may be willing to shoot, with harmful repercussions for Idahoans. Additionally, the house speaker can unilaterally hold any bill, including bills that correct budget holes. It’s reminiscent of the power House Republicans in Congress gave each member to recall Speaker McCarthy. Matt Gaetz used it to leave our nation with a non-functioning government for weeks while Republicans haggled over who would become the next speaker. These changes put undue power into the hands of a few who can manufacture budget space for their personal agenda items, such as the school voucher scheme that both budget committee chairs have endorsed. Idahoans deserve a budget that goes through a fair process and is responsive to constituents. It’s more important than ever that Idahoans speak up about their budget priorities. If we truly valued our children, we would ensure they spend their days in safe school buildings. But decades of neglect have caused Idaho schools to slide into a shameful state of disrepair. Raw sewage leaking under a cafeteria, collapsing roofs, and freezing classrooms illustrate the dire condition of school facilities across the state. Most frighteningly, a fire destroyed much of a Pocatello high school after faulty electrical wiring went unaddressed. In his State of the State address, Governor Little touted a long-overdue investment in facilities that made headlines. But when we read the fine print, we see he is largely continuing to kick the can down the road. In the coming year, as schools face over $1.3 billion in facilities needs, they would receive just $200 million. And that’s if this proposal can make its way through the Republican supermajority, which has the same terrible track record in supporting school infrastructure. In addition to increased state investment, there are two obvious policy solutions GOP lawmakers have rejected that would put schools on firmer ground. First, we must allow school districts to charge impact fees on new developments. Local governments regularly charge developers for the new roads, sewer lines, and other infrastructure that new housing developments necessitate. By making the same allowance for school infrastructure, growth can pay for itself instead of asking existing taxpayers to foot the bill. Second, we need to end the two-thirds majority requirement for passing school bonds. This has tripped up desperate school districts like Boundary where recent bonds garnered a clear majority of the vote, but fell short of the threshold. The state is letting a minority of voters deny our students safe school buildings. Even a threshold of 55% or 60% of the vote would ensure that more projects with strong public support can proceed. How we got here is a lesson Idahoans cannot afford to forget. As our schools have gone long underfunded, Little and his GOP colleagues have bragged about record budget surpluses, manufactured by the neglect of our core duties. They repeatedly doled out enormous rebates and permanent revenue cuts to the wealthiest while schools crumbled. His overdue acknowledgment of the problem is a small step towards redemption, but it’s no cause for a victory lap. For over twenty years, Little has held office in the Republican supermajority that created this crisis. Idaho Democrats have tirelessly fought for increased investments in Idaho schools while the GOP underpaid our educators and let our schools fall into disrepair. Little is right when he says we can do better. It is a shame that it took him more than two decades in public office to realize this. The Idaho State Capitol is not just a building; it’s the People’s House. Regular Idaho families don’t have lobbyists and can’t afford big campaign donations, but their interests should always be front and center. As the legislature reconvenes, Idaho Democrats are prioritizing the working families who are too often left behind. First, we are committed to thriving Main Streets with economic opportunity in towns big and small. A fundamental building block of a strong economy is education. Democrats will work to protect the new LAUNCH scholarships that are opening pathways to in-demand careers with family-sustaining wages and building the skilled workforce that industries need. We must finally address the $1 billion backlog in school facilities needs so that children aren’t contending with overcrowded classrooms, leaky roofs, or unsafe situations, such as the electrical issues that led to a severe fire in a Pocatello school. Idaho Democrats want to correct last year’s funding methodology shift that shortchanged schools by $162 million. And we will again defend against voucher schemes that divert precious public dollars away from public schools and into private, religious, and for-profit institutions with zero accountability. Second, we will be a voice for Idaho’s working families when it comes to revenue collection. Idaho’s upside down tax code gets worse every year. Today, an Idaho mom pays a higher tax rate on essentials like food and diapers than corporations pay on their profits. It’s past time we eliminate the sales tax on groceries, a move supported by 82% of Idahoans but consistently blocked by the Republican supermajority. We should have a meaningful child tax credit to help make it affordable to raise the next generation and finally establish a state earned income tax credit to avoid taxing working families into poverty. Third, we should act on the principle that affordable healthcare is a necessity. We will work to properly fund Medicaid, a lifeline for children, seniors, and Idahoans with disabilities, and to extend coverage for postpartum mothers. We’ll oppose the repeal of Medicaid expansion, which would take healthcare away from tens of thousands. What Idahoans don’t need is more extremism. Whether it comes to your most intimate medical decisions, the books you read, or who you love, it’s time for GOP politicians to stop interfering in your private life. While Democrats are underdogs in the Legislature, we stand behind an agenda that is broadly supported by voters. We hope Republican lawmakers will meet us here so that we can govern to make life better for Idahoans. To advance our shared priorities, we need the voices of Idahoans to resonate in the People’s House, demanding policies that truly reflect your values. I hope to see you there. The end of a year offers a moment to take stock of our progress to date and our vision for the future. As I reflect on the future Democrats want for Idahoans — thriving Main Streets with economic opportunity, quality education, personal freedoms, and an affordable path to raising the next generation — it’s clear that supermajority rule is holding us back. Idaho Democrats are rolling up their sleeves to repair our political system by rebuilding our party. This year, we established local Democratic committees in all 44 counties and won 73% of the 65 local races where Democrats made endorsements and deployed campaign tactics. Focused candidate recruitment has positioned us to contest more races in 2024 than we have in years. Idaho’s Democratic lawmakers are also making an impact. We delivered critical wins by blocking school vouchers, stopping a bill creating bounties on libraries, protecting Medicaid expansion, enacting scholarships for in-demand careers, creating incentives for nurses serving rural Idaho, and safeguarding voting rights. Nevertheless, many votes were too close for comfort. It’s critical we elect more Democrats to make life better for Idahoans and combat political dysfunction. I will never forget the words of a very conservative colleague who congratulated me on becoming chair of the Idaho Democratic Party. In spite of our policy disagreements, the legislator sincerely wished me luck and, motioning to the House Chamber, declared, “Because this isn’t healthy.” Indeed, when one party holds 82% of the seats, there is little accountability and compromise, which are necessary for a healthy democracy. In the absence of accountability, the extremists who once operated at the fringes of the Idaho Republican Party have taken the helm. Local party tribunals are pushing GOP politicians deeper into extremism by punishing those who stray from their platform — a platform that ranges from dangerous fringe ideas that would destabilize our financial system, like returning to gold and silver standards, to outright cruelty, like murder charges for abortion even when the patient faces certain death. In 2024, Democrats will be reaching out to voters, offering an alternative to this extreme agenda. We hope to have openhearted conversations about the central issues that unite us. Voters who get to know their local Democratic candidates will find ample common ground. Polling confirms that voters agree with Idaho Democrats on the issues that affect you daily: tax policies should be fair to regular Idahoans rather than heaping more benefits onto the wealthy and well-connected, public dollars belong in public schools, Medicaid should be strong, politicians shouldn’t interfere in our most intimate decisions, and life must be affordable for working families. As we welcome 2024, I’m hopeful Idahaoans can come together to reject GOP extremism and build the future people deserve. Access to healthcare saves lives, prevents financial ruin, and simply makes life better. I am proud that advocating for affordable coverage was a focus of my earlier career. Alongside many tireless advocates, I worked for years to expand Medicaid — closing the coverage gap for Idahoans whose wages were too low to qualify for health insurance tax credits and too high for Medicaid. Republican obstructionism in the Idaho Legislature made it a lot harder than it should have been to champion a policy that’s extremely popular among Idaho voters. The scariest setback, however, came from Congress. In 2017, Republicans took control of both chambers in Congress and the White House. As they seized power, repealing the Affordable Care Act was their top priority. Frighteningly, they had no replacement plan to prevent millions of Americans from losing coverage. As advocates in Idaho, we had to pause our work to expand healthcare access and try to block this serious attempt to take healthcare away. Months of nerve wracking negotiations culminated in Senator John McCain’s iconic and dramatic thumbs-down vote on the Senate floor. Fortunately, McCain joined two Republican U.S. Senators and every single Democrat to kill the repeal effort. Recalling this barely averted disaster makes it all the more startling to hear every Republican presidential candidate vow to repeal the ACA. Again, they have no coherent replacement. The renewed threat to working families and small business owners is staggering. ACA repeal would mean protections for up to 259,000 Idahoans with preexisting conditions would vanish, allowing insurance companies to deny coverage or hike costs for people with previous cancer diagnoses, high blood pressure, asthma, and other conditions. Medicaid expansion, which finally passed by a decisive majority of Idaho voters through an initiative, would end. Tax credits to purchase coverage, which assist 80% of individuals on the market, would disappear. Young adults would no longer be able to stay on their parents’ insurance. Insurance companies could again impose lifetime caps on coverage. Idahoans are already losing healthcare access, thanks to Republican politicians. From passing one of the most extreme abortion bans in the country to criminalizing doctors and nurses, Republican politicians continue attacking our freedoms and making Idaho a hostile place for providers. Idaho ranks last in the nation for physicians and hospital beds per capita and more than 70% of Idahoans live in mental health shortage areas. This year, rural hospitals in Sandpoint and Emmett announced they can no longer provide labor and delivery services. More than 9,000 healthcare jobs in Idaho remain unfilled, according to Idaho Business for Education. The ACA is a lifeline for Idahoans. Democrats will continue protecting the healthcare that is essential to the wellbeing of our families. Rep. Lauren Necochea Every Idaho child deserves an education that prepares them for career opportunities and helps them succeed. It’s a fundamental promise to our children, enshrined in our state constitution. This promise is once again under threat from a dangerous agenda that seeks to divert your tax dollars away from our public schools and into the hands of private and religious schools through voucher schemes. Last legislative session, parents, teachers, and community leaders came together to speak out against vouchers, which are deeply unpopular among Idaho voters according to a recent poll commissioned by the Idaho Education Association. Idaho held the line as other states fell to the pressure of the voucher lobby. In the House Education Committee, Democratic votes prevented legislation from advancing, but the threat remains. Proponents of vouchers spare no expense when it comes to buying our elections and pressuring legislators. These out-of-state activists with deep pockets have flooded our political landscape, running baseless attack ads against leaders who support public education, propping up the most far-right extreme candidates, and building an army of lobbyists-for-hire. In the face of defeat, the anti-public education lobby has come up with a new tactic, which is to bypass the House Education Committee that rejected vouchers. They plan to push vouchers via our tax code and force the bill through the House Revenue and Taxation Committee. But tax code vouchers bring the same problems: Huge costs to the state with zero accountability. The primary beneficiaries of tax credit vouchers would be wealthy families with kids in private schools who will enjoy a cash subsidy paid by taxpayers. Rural families are unlikely to have private school “options.” What they will see is that their public schools receive fewer resources. Across the state, middle-class families and those who work paycheck-to-paycheck won’t be able to close the gap between the voucher credit and private tuition. Other states illustrate the damaging consequences of these schemes. In Wisconsin, vouchers blew a hole in the state’s budget, forcing homeowners to shoulder a $577 million property tax hike. In Arizona, vouchers will cost the state $900 million this year while rural schools are shuttering. Between 75% and 90% of voucher users in states like Arizona, New Hampshire, and Wisconsin were already in private schools, forcing taxpayers to subsidize wealthy families. Voucher schemes also cause pandemic-sized drops in student outcomes — proving they will only hurt student success. We must speak out during the 2024 session to defeat these schemes. Idaho Democrats remain committed to ensuring that all kids have the opportunity to receive an excellent education. This can only happen within the framework of strong, well-funded public schools that are accountable to Idahoans. Together, we will protect our children and our shared future. Rep. Lauren Necochea Great schools depend on strong communities. Strong communities, in turn, require great schools. In Idaho, many education leaders are working to bolster student success with the “community school” model. The announcement of a new federal grant marks a significant stride toward expanding this proven approach across our state. Community schools recognize that students come with families — families who need to be engaged in their children’s education and who often need connections to resources to thrive. Four Boise schools first launched the national model in Idaho in 2016. Today, Idaho has 41 community schools across 25 districts. I was fortunate to see the difference firsthand at my children’s elementary school: Parents are frequently invited into the school to engage with their students’ learning, staff coordinate parent support classes, partnerships with food banks fuel in-school pantries, and coordinators connect parents to nonprofit resources when they are facing homelessness, health care needs, and other challenges. The community school approach is backed by research demonstrating better student attendance, reductions in disciplinary events, and improved achievement. Unfortunately, a major limiting factor in their expansion in Idaho has been funding. We have a patchwork of haves and have-nots when we ought to ensure every child can attend a community school. This is why our new federal investment is so exciting. U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona’s recent visit to Idaho underscores the promise of this opportunity. Idaho will receive a Full-Service Community Schools grant totalling $6.5 million annually from the Biden Administration to expand the reach of community schools. This will mean 50 additional schools implementing the model, specifically targeting rural areas and Title I schools, which have higher portions of families facing low wages. The Marsing School District has demonstrated the lifeline that community schools provide in rural Idaho. In the absence of state-funded preschool, the district established early learning programs at the local community center and partnered with neighboring districts to create a special education partnership. When the local food bank and senior center closed, the school district and community partners collaborated to create a school resource center. Marsing illustrates how community schools fill critical gaps in services, especially in regions where resources are more spread out. The success of community schools across diverse landscapes is partly why they have broad political support. They also provide a stark contrast to school vouchers, which siphon critical taxpayer dollars to private schools with no oversight or accountability. We must make smart investments in the promise of public education and offer real solutions to the unique challenges faced by students and families. Idaho Democrats will continue to support initiatives to ensure every student has the opportunity to succeed. Rep. Lauren Necochea How confusing is the 2024 election season in Idaho? So much so that Secretary of State Phil McGrane, Republican Party of Idaho Chair Dorothy Moon, and Idaho Democratic Party Chair Lauren Necochea were compelled last week to issue a joint news release to attempt to clarify the distinction between party presidential nominating caucuses, the statewide May primaries, and affiliation deadlines for voters. They only stirred around the mud, despite their best efforts. The mud is deep. How else could you explain a joint news release from Dorothy Moon and Lauren Necochea, who likely couldn’t come to agreement on the same order at a restaurant with one item on the menu? We wouldn’t have believed it if we hadn’t seen it. They’re on opposite ends of the political rope, yanking and pulling and tugging while accusing the other of attempting to spiral Idaho into an abyss. What they do appear to share, though, is the feeling that Idahoans should make plans to exercise their right to vote. Regardless of how you feel about the caucus system — and we find it to be wholly non-representative — we’re stuck with it for 2024. As one of our board members bluntly put it, ‘And that sucks.’ “As we gear up for the May 23rd caucus, we want to ensure every eligible voter’s voice is heard,” Necochea said in the release. “We encourage all residents to engage in the process by taking part in this important event.” Added Moon, “We encourage all eligible voters who wish to have a voice in the party caucus to ensure their party affiliation is up to date by the December 31st deadline.” And then there’s McGrane, who narrowly defeated Moon in the 2022 election for Secretary of State, urging Gem State voters to take part in the May 21 primary, which will include party races for state legislators and county sheriffs, commissioners and prosecutors. “The primary election is a crucial step in shaping the future of our state,” McGrane said in the release. “We want to ensure that every eligible voter has the opportunity to participate, so it’s essential to be aware of the party affiliation deadlines.” The deadline to change affiliation for the primary is March 15, though unaffiliated and newly registered voters may affiliate up to and including Election Day. But, if you want to have a say in the GOP presidential nominating caucus on March 2, you must affiliate by Dec. 31 — but that’s a Sunday, so plan accordingly. To take part in the Democrats’ caucus, you must be a registered Democrat or unaffiliated voter and affirm that you have not participated in any other 2024 presidential nominating contest. The nearly 500-word news release concludes: “Idaho political parties are required to communicate with the Secretary of State’s office through written correspondence to identify the voters eligible to participate in the May 21st primary election by November 30th.” Clear as mud, right? Let’s try to clear it up, because Moon and Necochea are right: We must vote in 2024, and likely as if the future of our democracy depends on it. The Republican presidential nominating caucus is March 2, the Democratic presidential nominating caucus is May 23, the statewide primary is May 21, and the general election is Nov. 5. It’s Dec. 31 to participate in the Republican presidential nominating caucus, March 15 (to change party affiliation) or May 21 (to affiliate with a party if unaffiliated) to participate in the statewide primary, and May 23 to participate in the Democratic presidential nominating caucus. Go online: VoteIdaho.gov , IdahoGOP.org , and IdahoDems.org . Regardless of how you feel about the caucus system — and we find it to be wholly non-representative — we’re stuck with it for 2024. As one of our board members bluntly put it, “And that sucks.” But, Idaho will caucus. So, stomp the mud off your boots and make plans to have your say next year. The future of our state is in your hands. Your story lives in the Magic Valley, and our new mobile app is designed to make sure you don’t miss breaking news, the latest scores, the weather forecast and more. From easy navigation with the swipe of a finger to personalized content based on your preferences to customized text sizes, the Times-News app is built for you and your life. Don’t have the app? Download it today from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store . Maya Angelou famously said, “When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time.” Similarly, when politicians vow to take away your freedoms, take them at their word. Among many extreme positions in the Idaho Republican Party platform is the criminalization of any abortion, even to save a patient’s life. We should therefore be unsurprised that Republican lawmakers are doubling down on their extreme, anti-abortion agenda. Recently, Republican AG Raúl Labrador and Idaho’s Republican legislative leaders teamed up with out-of-state activists to file a frightening legal appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court. Their goal is to reverse a small court-ordered reprieve for abortion care in medical emergencies. Idaho’s abortion ban has no allowance for patients facing health risks from carrying a pregnancy. Risk of permanent disability or fertility loss and even conditions that eventually cause death are not valid exceptions. This means physicians may have to prove in court, under threat of a lengthy prison sentence and loss of their medical license, that they performed an abortion to avert imminent death. Simply preserving the patient’s health is not acceptable. The U.S. Department of Justice successfully argued in court that this ban violates federal law enacted by President Ronald Reagan. The law requires hospitals with emergency departments to provide stabilizing treatment to anyone who seeks care. An Idaho judge agreed, ruling that pregnant women and those experiencing pregnancy loss deserve access to the full rights and protections of emergency medical care. How did Republican legislative leaders respond to this lifeline for patients and doctors? They immediately appealed the ruling. Now, they are asking the U.S. Supreme Court to allow the prosecution and imprisonment of doctors and nurses who perform emergency abortions while the appeal works through the legal system. I know most Idahoans want to make their intimate medical decisions with their families and doctors — not have them dictated politicians. But the new Idaho Republican Party continues to prove it is light years away from what voters believe. This assault on your freedoms isn’t coming from a few far-right fringe legislators. The ban was deliberately written without health exceptions and approved by nearly every Republican legislator. In fact, a few Republicans voted in opposition because they didn’t think the bill went far enough. We should not be surprised that this new brand of Idaho Republican politician is sticking to the script. But we should be very alarmed by their extreme ideology and the lengths to which they will go. This is not the representation that Idahoans want. Patients’ lives and our ability to keep doctors in Idaho make it urgent that we vote them out. Rep. Lauren Necochea With the holiday season upon us, I’m reminded of the ways in which we care for one another. One of the best ways we do this as Idahoans is through Medicaid. It provides necessary care for our children, pregnant Idahoans, seniors who need nursing home care, and both adults and children with disabilities. Medicaid delivers developmental screenings to our kids, substance use disorder treatment, cancer care, and much more. And it demonstrates a fundamental belief we share: We never want Idahoans to go without health care due to an inability to pay. Idaho voters continue to express strong support for Medicaid. They passed Medicaid expansion in 2018 with 61% in favor and the policy has only become more popular. Recent polling commissioned by Idaho Voices for Children shows that 73% of voters favor keeping Medicaid expansion. Additionally, voters resoundingly oppose cuts to Medicaid services. Unfortunately, Idaho’s Republican supermajority isn’t getting the message. They have made repeated attempts to roll back Medicaid expansion and take coverage away from Idahoans, chronically underfunded Medicaid services, and threatened to make cuts to a critical lifeline. Today’s direct care worker crisis illustrates what happens when budget setters starve a crucial service. Direct care workers help seniors and individuals with disabilities with daily tasks, like eating and dressing themselves. This support allows Idahoans to live independently in their homes and is typically funded through Medicaid. But a new report from the Office of Performance Evaluation reveals that this workforce faces a 3,000-person shortage and workers can earn 36-39% higher wages in other industries. Idahoans requiring this assistance can be forced into the more costly and less desirable option of moving into an institution when there are no direct care workers available. There are clear steps the Idaho Legislature must take to protect Idahoans who rely on Medicaid. First, we must bolster reimbursement for Medicaid services, especially direct care workers so that Idahoans can live as independently as possible. We should also reject proposals that cut Medicaid services. Second, we need to extend postpartum Medicaid coverage to mothers for one year after birth. This is a key recommendation that Idaho’s Maternal Mortality Review Board made after studying how we can best prevent maternal deaths in our state Third, we must reject attempts to dismantle Medicaid expansion. Too many Republican politicians prioritize their anti-government ideology over people’s needs. And while some lawmakers do not believe that the public sector should solve problems and help Idahoans access health care, voters clearly do. Voters want to ensure a strong Medicaid program is there when they, their loved ones, and their neighbors need it. Idaho Democrats will continue working to protect and strengthen Medicaid to keep all Idahoans healthy. Rep. Lauren Necochea From the Idaho Transportation Department: The National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program was established as part of the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law – also called the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). This program invests federal funding into states to build out a national network of electric vehicle charging stations, using primarily American-made materials and certified EVITP contractors. We rely on infrastructure to power and connect our daily lives. This includes the roads we drive on, our water delivery systems, and broadband access that links us to information and commerce. Two years ago, President Joe Biden signed the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, a once-in-a-generation investment in our nation’s infrastructure. This landmark legislation is rebuilding long-neglected public structures and creating good jobs with family-sustaining wages along the way. In Idaho, $2.5 billion in funding has been announced, with over 252 specific projects identified. The investment covers $1.6 billion for roads, bridges, public transit, and airports, $210 million for water projects, and $583 million to ensure rural Idahoans can access reliable high-speed internet. In fact, more than 49,000 Idaho households are already saving on their internet bill. The impact of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is best demonstrated by the projects underway across Idaho. The North Portneuf Crossing project will enhance traffic safety and improve traffic flow while making the road safer for pedestrians and cyclists. Meanwhile, the Genesee and McCall-Donnelly Districts were awarded funds to purchase electric school buses. Children will no longer have to breathe diesel fumes at the bus stop, schools will see big savings in fuel costs, and entire communities will benefit from fewer emissions. The St. Maries School District will make energy-efficient building upgrades to create healthier learning environments. As wildfires continue to threaten lives and property, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law supports prevention and community resilience. These include the Clark County Roadside Fuel Breaks project to bolster wildfire protection for communities in Dubois, Kilgore, Spencer, and Medicine Lodge and funding to reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfire, sustain industry, and protect recreation across the Boise and Payette National Forests. A $4 million effort to line the Treasure Valley’s New York Canal will more efficiently deliver water to farms and residents. And the Idaho Falls Regional Airport, a critical gateway for Eastern Idaho, received $5 million to upgrade its terminal. Local leaders are celebrating this progress because they have seen dire needs go unmet for too long. It’s also good news for our economy. The International Monetary Fund estimates that every $1 invested in infrastructure yields $1.40 in new economic activity. As we celebrate a transformative legislative accomplishment, we should remember it passed despite Republican obstructionism. Idaho’s congressmen, Mike Simpson and Russ Fulcher, both voted in opposition. Nevertheless, one shouldn’t be surprised to see them at ribbon-cutting ceremonies for the popular projects the law is making possible. While some Republican politicians try to roll back historic progress and heap more tax benefits on those who need them the least, Democrats will continue investing in the middle class and the infrastructure that sustains us all. Rep. Lauren Necochea Democrats had plenty of good news to celebrate in Tuesday’s off-year elections and more evidence that they can win races centered on the national debate over abortion. As Sen. Raphael Warnock says, “A vote is a prayer about the kind of world we want to live in.” Indeed, every election allows citizens to act on their hope for our shared future. With far-right extremists getting louder, more numerous, and more brazen in Idaho and Congress, many are deeply worried about the future. Today’s Republican Party seeks to divide us based on our differences, puts profits over people, erodes our public institutions, and takes away our freedoms. Nevertheless, Tuesday’s election filled me with hope as voters shifted toward leaders who will build communities where we take care of each other. In Virginia, Democrats exceeded expectations, retaining control of the Senate and flipping the state House. This victory thwarted Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s plans to pass an abortion ban. In Ohio, voters amended the state constitution to guarantee the right to make personal decisions about reproductive health care, including abortion. Even in deep-red Kentucky, voters reelected Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear. Here in Idaho, Democratic values prevailed in encouraging ways. In Boise, Mayor Lauren McLean, who focused on home affordability, secured another term. Hayden Paulsen, a 29-year-old newly elected to Pocatello City Council, returned to his hometown driven by a belief that Idahoans shouldn’t have to leave their community to find economic opportunity. Education champions triumphed in school board elections in Caldwell, McCall-Donnelly, Blaine County, Teton County, and Moscow over far-right ideologues who seek to ban books, police curriculum, and privatize our public schools. In the 45 races where local Democrats endorsed nonpartisan candidates based on shared values — not necessarily party affiliation — 73% won. Meanwhile, voters are starting to realize that Republican endorsements often signal the most extreme, far-right candidate in a race. Coeur d’Alene City Council incumbents beat back far-right challengers endorsed by the Kootenai County Republican Central Committee. A Twin Falls City Council incumbent beat out a Twin Falls Republican Party official. We can take a moment to celebrate, then turn to the work ahead. In 2024, all 105 seats in the Idaho Legislature will be up for election. Idaho Democrats are committed to having a Democrat on the ballot in every legislative district and will continue to work hard to deliver leaders who better represent the people of Idaho. You can join us. Together, we can deliver on the issues that matter most to Idahoans — safeguarding our freedoms, ensuring quality education, and fostering opportunity in every corner of our state. It won’t happen magically but through the grit of candidates and volunteers who meet voters at their doors to show that Idahoans deserve better and that doing better is possible. Let’s carry this momentum forward and continue building a brighter future for Idaho. Rep. Lauren Necochea Democracy is at its best when consensus candidates prevail. In this ideal world, officeholders have broad support from their constituents and work to strengthen the institutions under their purview. Library board commissioners seek to make library services better and more accessible. Municipal leaders are dedicated to building vibrant cities and delivering public safety and other services reliably. School board trustees believe in providing quality public schools in every child’s neighborhood with qualified teachers and proven administrators. However, Idaho is seeing a disturbing trend, leading us away from this ideal. Extremist candidates with radical agendas are gaining power, often damaging the very institutions they are meant to safeguard. On Tuesday, voters must be vigilant and reject extremism as we decide who will lead our school boards and communities. The West Bonner School District is a cautionary tale , illustrating the stakes and the ease with which extremism can take hold. In 2021, far-right candidates, Keith Rutledge and Susan Brown were elected as trustees. They had extremely narrow margins of victory in a low-turnout election. Overall, only a few hundred votes were cast, just a fraction of eligible voters. It is understandable that local elections can be overlooked due to the demands of work, family, and other responsibilities. Nevertheless, as we have seen in West Bonner, the consequences of sitting on the sidelines can be profound. Brown and Rutledge, along with a third trustee, hired an unqualified, inexperienced ideologue who supports school vouchers to serve as the school superintendent. The embattled superintendent ignored input from the public, made unpopular decisions, and alienated educators. He also demanded an expensive package of perks and benefits — including free legal assistance for his spouse and a car — all while calling for deep cuts to educational service investments. Ultimately, the dysfunction united the community, which successfully recalled the two trustees. But undoing the damage was a difficult task, involving gathering signatures to secure a recall election, raising funds, and pouring volunteer hours into running recall campaigns. Even after voters decisively ousted Rutledge and Brown, court orders, criminal investigations, and obstruction ensued before the superintendent finally resigned. Idaho voters can prevent disasters like this one on Tuesday. Important races will take place across the state and many could be decided by a handful of votes. Doing our research before we enter the voting booth gives us the best chance of supporting candidates who will faithfully strengthen public education, maintain community safety, and support thriving Main Streets. Your vote in local elections is critical to protect what your community has built and make necessary progress. On Tuesday, let’s elect Idahoans who prioritize the public good and the betterment of the state we call home. Rep. Lauren Necochea The best part of my day is when I walk my kids to school. We spend this quality time connecting, while the exercise helps us wake up and get focused for the day ahead. Along the way, we benefit from sidewalks, stoplights, and crosswalks that make our journey safer. It’s less stressful than navigating traffic in a car and my kids can do it alone if my husband and I are unavailable. Every child deserves a safe route to school. And parents across Idaho should feel confident sending their children out the door. Unfortunately, we’re moving in the wrong direction as a nation. In 1969, 42% of children ages 5 to 14 walked to school. By 2009 that number was down to 13%. This trend means a lost opportunity for kids to get exercise and gain independence. It also means more cars on the road, with the related increases in traffic and air pollution. A report card from the Safe Routes Partnership shows that Idaho, in particular, has a lot of work to do to keep our kids safe. That work was highlighted last week when I attended the 2023 Transportation Policy Conference put on by the Idaho Walk Bike Alliance. The conference covered the need to improve bike and pedestrian safety. I attended because I want every family to be able to walk and bike safely and because the stakes could not be higher. Reading recent headlines, I’m heartbroken by the spike in pedestrian and bike fatalities, including child deaths. On average, 445 Idahoans are involved in motor vehicle crashes per year while walking or biking. Between 2017 and 2021, 25% of these crashes resulted in serious injury or death. People traveling in vehicles are facing increasing risks. During what law enforcement calls the “100 Deadliest Days,” the period from Memorial Day to Labor Day, Idaho experienced 21% more car accident fatalities in 2023 than in 2022. Facing such tragic trends, it’s unconscionable that Republican legislators are working against measures that prevent fatalities. The legislation they succeeded in passing, House Bill 87, limits a key transportation funding stream to road maintenance, expansion of travel lanes, and congestion mitigation. Every Democrat voted against this limitation, understanding that roads also need sidewalks and other features that keep our families safe. We also believe the locally-elected highway district commissioners should have the freedom to address local needs and not be restricted by mandates from far-away state legislators. Notably, the lone House Republican who voted with us is a retired police chief. While this legislation is a serious setback, Idaho Democrats will continue to strive for a future where we manage our roads with our children’s safety top of mind. Rep. Lauren Necochea Idaho’s economic prosperity and the very health of our communities depend on the strength and sustainability of our water resources. Idahoans deserve to turn on the faucet with confidence, knowing they have access to safe and clean drinking water. Similarly, food producers and other businesses need reliable water to operate and deliver their products to market. Recent reporting by the Idaho Statesman underscores the mounting concerns surrounding our water infrastructure. In White Bird, residents had to import water from neighboring Grangeville when one of their wells dried up in June. Other cities, grappling with aging infrastructure, population growth, and the high cost of upgrades, could face similar fates. Projects like wastewater treatment system upgrades in Preston, well installations in American Falls, and wastewater system replacements in Gooding require significant investments, with costs reaching tens of millions of dollars or more. Many of our smaller communities, facing limited local tax revenue and state-mandated budget restrictions, rely on state and federal funds to finance necessary repairs and upgrades. Unfortunately, partisan politics have come into play, with the integrity of our water systems hanging in the balance. In 2021, every Idaho Republican in Congress voted against the American Rescue Plan Act. These funds have played a pivotal role in supporting desperately needed infrastructure upgrades across Idaho, such as the $3.3 million wastewater upgrade in Grand View. Similarly, New Meadows utilized a $1.9 million ARPA grant to ensure access to clean drinking water. When there was another opportunity to bring federal dollars back to our state months later, Reps. Mike Simpson and Russ Fulcher voted against the Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. Thankfully, strong Democratic support in Congress led to the single most significant investment to improve water infrastructure in our nation’s history. To date, $151 million has been announced to provide clean and safe water across Idaho. Incredibly, many Republicans in the Idaho Legislature want to turn down these federal dollars, even when they are urgently needed in the communities they serve. During the 2023 legislative session, 27 Republican lawmakers voted to oppose millions of federal grant dollars for local water systems. Rejecting this support risks higher property taxes, unmanageable rate increases, and more deferred maintenance and repairs. In White Bird, $400,000 in federal funds were employed to secure drinking water and locate a new well. These funds have been a lifeline, helping our towns and communities maintain aging infrastructure and provide essential services to residents. We reach moments like this when leaders have been pennywise and a pound foolish. The repercussions of further neglecting our water infrastructure could be catastrophic. We must seize the opportunity and take advantage of available funds to protect the future of water in Idaho. Rep. Lauren Necochea A well-educated workforce is the engine that drives our economy. That’s why Democrats in the Idaho Legislature were proud to support Idaho Launch earlier this year. Now accepting applications , Launch is a monumental step forward for our state, covering 80% of the costs for Idaho graduates pursuing in-demand careers, up to $8,000. From training nurses and welders to equipping young people with the commercial driver’s licenses they need to bring our products to market, Launch will allow more Idahoans to earn family-sustaining wages while helping employers hire the workers they need. Every industry in Idaho faces a pressing need for more qualified workers with specific skills. The demands of the modern job market have evolved. Today almost 80% of all jobs require some form of postsecondary education or training. In particular, there is a growing demand for workers in “middle-skill” jobs — positions that require more than a diploma but less than a four-year college degree like electricians, bookkeepers, and medical assistants. I was encouraged to see the broad, statewide support that Idaho Launch garnered when it was introduced in early 2023. Education leaders and every major business group in the state threw their weight behind it. They recognized the positive economic benefits for students and businesses alike. However, it was disheartening to see the unnecessary obstacles this program faced within the Statehouse. The ideological objections and the rise of far-right extremism within our Legislature’s Republican caucus make it difficult for popular and much-needed investments like this to pass. Only a few years ago, the same brand of obstructionism killed an $18 million, three-year grant to support early learning collaboratives across the states by making false claims that the locally designed programs amounted to “indoctrination.” Similarly, certain Republican politicians denounced Launch as “socialism,” ignoring our economy’s dire need for a qualified workforce. Those views are out of touch with the majority of Idahoans who understand the importance of preparing our youth for the jobs of tomorrow. Without the unanimous support of Idaho Democrats in the Legislature, Idaho Launch would have failed. In the House, it passed by a single vote. If one Democrat representative had lost their election, Idahoans would be missing out on this smart investment to address serious workforce challenges. Sadly, far-right ideologues want to dismantle the progress we’re making. That’s why Idahoans must speak out to protect Idaho Launch today. Contact your legislators and tell them you support investing in our future workforce. Encourage eligible high school seniors to consider the in-demand careers that await them with Idaho Launch. Idaho Democrats remain committed to championing education investments to ensure the future prosperity of our state. Together, we can build a brighter future for every Idahoan. Rep. Lauren Necochea Idahoans need an effective public sector every day. This need becomes urgently apparent in emergencies. Regrettably, we now face a sudden, serious threat to our economy and natural resources: State testing recently revealed an invasive species in our Snake River, the quagga mussel. We need competent, swift action to avert a major disaster. From my earliest days in the Legislature, I heard about the extreme risks quagga mussels pose to our waterways. They clog pipes that deliver drinking water, the hydropower equipment that generates much of the energy we use, and the irrigation systems our farms and residents need. Similarly, they can severely damage and ruin motorized boat engines. Mitigating the harm they cause may cost Idaho hundreds of millions of dollars annually. There are also indirect costs like higher electricity prices and reduced tourism. The environmental impacts are sobering as well. Quagga mussels out-compete native species, making our rivers and lakes inhospitable to fish and other wildlife. If quagga mussels continue to spread down the Snake River, the entire Columbia River Basin will be at risk. This is an urgent emergency because quagga mussels multiply and spread rapidly. Adults produce 30,000 to 1,000,000 “veligers” annually and these microscopic larvae can flow downstream for 30 days before settling. Moments like this one remind us that our fates are linked. It only takes one careless or uninformed boater to transfer veliger-infested water to our waterways. And whether you live in Aberdeen or Wilder, quagga mussels can impact your community. I am grateful for the state agencies that have been at the ready to protect our prosperity and quality of life. They have activated a rapid response plan and designed a treatment plan. Treatment with chelated copper , at levels that do not compromise the safety of our drinking water, is already underway. If we can quickly eliminate the threat, Idaho can avoid enormous costs down the road. While state officials execute the interventions they do best, I trust that Idahoans will do their part. That means observing the Snake River closures where treatment is taking place and following instructions to “hot wash” watercraft that have been in affected areas at the designated wash stations. It also means continuing the prevention practices we should always observe — especially when bringing boats across state lines. The Idaho State Department of Agriculture posts up-to-date guidance at idaho.gov/quagga . The rapid response was possible due to bipartisan legislative support for monitoring and preparedness. The Legislature must continue to allocate resources to combat the current invasion, prevent future invasions, and conduct monitoring to help us catch future issues early. Together, we can protect Idaho. Rep. Lauren Necochea Good governance means compromise and working across the aisle for the common good. An essential governance responsibility in Congress is to pass the budgets that keep the nation operating and our economy churning. The financial stability of Idahoans is now at risk because House Republicans are refusing to make the compromises necessary to avoid a government shutdown. But you don’t have to take my word for it. As the crisis reaches a fever pitch and we approach the Saturday deadline, House Republicans have become increasingly vocal about the dire situation. Speaker Kevin McCarthy bemoaned the extreme members of his party who “just want to burn the place down.” Nevertheless, he continues to appease these members and their ludicrous demands rather than collaborate with Democrats. Idaho’s own GOP congressman Mike Simpson summed it up, “We’ve been seeing this coming ... I just didn’t think we were dumb enough to get there.” The theatrics are an unfortunate distraction from the real story: A government shutdown would cause severe hardship for Idahoans. It would force our troops to work without pay. In Idaho, 3,500 active-duty service members wouldn’t receive their paychecks, risking their ability to pay bills and put food on the table. And hundreds of thousands of civil servants at the Department of Defense would be furloughed, affecting our ability to manage national security risks. Nearly half of the babies born in the U.S. are served by the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children. A federal contingency fund for WIC would only last a few days and many states have limited funds to keep the program running. In Idaho, the GOP shutdown would put 17,607 children, 6,441 infants, and 6,718 pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers at risk of losing access to food. Idaho’s 268 TSA officers and 39 air traffic controllers would also be asked to do their critical work without pay until budget agreements are made. Previous shutdowns saw significant delays and longer wait times for travelers. A shutdown would also halt air traffic controller training, potentially causing long-term disruptions. These examples only scratch the surface of the potential damage. To play games with Americans’ livelihoods is unacceptable. We see this brand of recklessness at the Idaho Statehouse as well. A majority of House Republicans vote against critical budget bills — like the one that funds Medicaid — to run up their “scorecards” with far-right special interests. It’s often up to Idaho’s Democrats to deliver the votes that keep our state running. When one political party is willing to hold the economy hostage, we are in trouble. It’s critical that we elect serious public servants who will do the people’s work. Rep. Lauren Necochea Idahoans deserve elected officials who do what is best for Idaho and prioritize the people they are elected to represent. Unfortunately, the track records of our longtime Republican senators Jim Risch and Mike Crapo indicate a different set of priorities, as recent headlines have shown. Earlier this month, Risch made the news for his attempts to reroute flight paths at the Boise Airport. Unhappy with the occasional sound of planes taking on and off near his 44-acre ranch, he used his position to ask the Federal Aviation Administration to change the flight traffic patterns . Despite being told by an administrator that this would threaten safety and reduce efficiency, he convinced Sen.Ted Cruz to add a clause to must-pass legislation. This isn’t the first time Risch has misused his influence. In 2018, he nearly caused a government shutdown over a provision to rename Boulder-White Clouds Wilderness after his former political rival, Cecil Andrus. Such pettiness in the face of important legislation is deeply troubling. Meanwhile, Crapo has spent his decades-long political career catering to his corporate donors, at the expense of regular Idahoans. He has accepted substantial contributions from payday lending companies, which use deceptive practices to charge Idahoans a shocking average annual interest rate of 652%. In 2021, he opposed a resolution to overturn a “true lender” rule, which let non-bank lenders avoid state interest rate caps through partnerships with lenders. In this way, even if Idaho passed a state interest rate cap, Crapo wanted to ensure his friends who make predatory loans could get around it. Further concerning is his recent hostility to a pilot program that would allow taxpayers to save time and money by filing their returns directly to the IRS — rather than having to pay a corporation for filing assistance. Crapo is happy forcing Idahoans to pay these fees, which go right into the coffers of the financial services corporations that heavily fund his campaign. Their recent votes also tell a story. Last year, Risch and Crapo were among the 11 senators who voted against the PACT Act, a bill to enhance benefits for veterans exposed to toxic chemicals. Crapo and Risch’s opposition to capping insulin at $35 a month highlights their eagerness to side with price-gouging corporations over people needing life-saving medication. And they have voted against enshrining same-sex and interracial marriage rights, paid sick leave for rail workers, and codifying Roe v. Wade protections. These two senators have collectively amassed over 80 years in public office, solidifying their status as career politicians. It’s finally time to hold them accountable at the ballot box and usher in change that prioritizes the interests of the people of Idaho over personal gain. Rep. Lauren Necochea Every Idahoan deserves to feel safe and welcome in our state. It is inspiring to watch the growing movement for our freedom to live authentically and choose who we love. Over the past few months, Pride celebrations across our state have brought communities together to celebrate this freedom. Even towns as small as Wallace, with 800 residents, joined in with its inaugural Silver Valley Pride. Across our state, everyday people and businesses are standing up in greater numbers to support our freedoms and fight back against hate. Idaho voters understand the harms of discrimination at a gut level. They know that it’s wrong to fire someone or deny them housing based on their identity. This is why a majority of Idahoans support adding the words “sexual orientation” and “gender identity” to the Idaho Humans Rights Act. Idaho Democrats sponsor a bill to do just that every year, but we are blocked from getting a hearing by the Republican supermajority. The Idaho business community recognizes that being inclusive is both the right thing to do and smart for their bottom line. Businesses large and small support Pride celebrations to build the welcoming communities that attract and retain talented employees in Idaho. These companies are also sending an important message to their prospective customers about their values. The trend toward accepting and celebrating our friends and neighbors is positive for all Idahoans, except the politicians who seek to gain power by making us fear each other. While progress is often met with backlash, it’s extremely troubling that hateful rhetoric is coming from leaders we ought to be able to trust. Combined with the onslaught of Republican-backed bills attacking our LGBTQ+ community, this posturing can make Idaho a hostile place. Last week, the top Idaho Republican Party official wrote that community celebrations of our fellow Idahoans comprise “deviant debauchery,” among other hurtful statements. The words are not just painful, they are dangerous. The demonization of our fellow Idahoans fuels senseless — and even deadly — violence, as recent events show. Just last year, 31 members of a white supremacist group packed up riot gear, loaded themselves into a U-Haul, and set out to terrorize the Coeur d’Alene Pride celebration. Thankfully, their plans were thwarted by the quick actions of local law enforcement. The ending of another story is heartbreakingly tragic. In 2017, Steven Nelson was murdered in Canyon County simply for being gay. Idahoans all deserve dignity, respect, and a life free from discrimination and violence. We must elect leaders who will fight for this ideal and reject those who use hate and fear manufactured for political gain. Rep. Lauren Necochea This week, Idahoans celebrated Labor Day. It’s a moment to spend time with family and friends. It’s also a time to reflect on the strides labor movements have made and the work we still have to do. Idaho Democrats believe that if you work hard and do your part, you should be able to get ahead. Unfortunately, Idaho is not delivering on this promise and the Republican supermajority continues to push it further out of reach. In 2015, McCall residents organized to address the abysmal minimum wage that didn’t support the workers who powered the local economy. The question of raising the minimum wage was put on the ballot and failed by a slim margin. It might have passed in future years or inspired other communities to take similar action. But Republican legislators, spurred on by corporate lobbyists, acted swiftly to ensure that no community, by any vote margin, could ever increase the minimum wage, no matter how sorely it is needed. Every Democrat, joined by only one Republican, voted against the new law that took away this power from locally elected officials. Workers’ skills are the hard-earned assets they ought to be able to take with them to start a new job or their own enterprise. Sadly, powerful corporate interests saw an opportunity to limit their workers’ options by claiming ownership over their experience. Republican lawmakers catered to lobbyists by passing a law making it easier for companies to enforce noncompete agreements. This threat coerced employees to stay at a corporation even if wages didn’t meet their needs or they simply wanted a change. While the law was ultimately repealed, it nevertheless sent a chilling message about how far the Idaho GOP will go to put corporations’ desires over workers’ freedoms. Laws to weaken whistle-blower protections and strip public school teachers of their bargaining rights are additional Republican-led efforts to undermine workers’ rights in recent years. And Idaho lacks many common protections such as heat safety standards for outdoor workers, accommodations for pregnant workers, and the right to discuss compensation with coworkers. Labor movements and unions have grown the middle class. At different times in our history, Idaho workers joined together to secure fair compensation in Coeur d’Alene mines, Lewiston lumber mills, and Pocatello labor halls. Much of modern working life — weekends, health insurance, paid leave, pensions, Social Security and Medicare — were made possible by organized labor. But many of these benefits are still unattainable for too many Idahoans. While Idaho’s GOP lawmakers continue to double-down on the false promises of trickle-down economics that don’t deliver for working families, Idaho Democrats will fight for policies that make hard work translate into the financial stability workers deserve. Rep. Lauren Necochea Idahoans value our public schools, as demonstrated by this week’s election — voters passed all but one education funding measure. I’m grateful voters stepped up to deliver crucial resources to schools where funding from the Legislature is inadequate. Still, the most notable result was the successful recall of two West Bonner School District trustees. The district offers a cautionary tale of the damage that occurs when far-right politicians seize power. And it reminds us that ongoing vigilance is required to defend against extremism at all levels of government. In June, West Bonner trustees Keith Rutledge and Susan Brown voted to install a far-right politician with zero school administrative experience. This superintendent holds fringe views, including support for censuring curriculum and voucher schemes that siphon funds from public schools to private and religious schools. His lack of experience, coupled with his anti-public education ideology should have disqualified him. Instead, Rutledge and Brown saw these as assets. Voters approved levies for Castleford and Valley school districts, but Shoshone fell short of the 66% needed for its $8.2 million bond. The superintendent’s first priority was personal gain. On top of a six-figure salary exceeding his predecessor’s, he asked for eye-popping perks like a personal vehicle, car insurance and free gasoline, a housing allowance, relocation reimbursement, and free meals. A red flag was embedded in his bizarre request for the district to cover legal costs for both himself and his wife. Then came the mismanagement. Despite fierce opposition from the community, he advanced plans to combine the middle school and high school. He fired two administrators without cause (prompting a lawsuit) and replaced them with political allies, one of whom is the spouse of a vocal anti-Semite. The State Board of Education warned he lacked the credentials to hold the job lawfully and educators fled the chaotic district. Fortunately, parents, educators, and business owners sprang into action. Working across party lines, they publicized the superintendent’s terrible leadership and the lack of transparency from Rutledge and Brown during the hiring and negotiations. Volunteers knocked on doors and built a homegrown recall effort, gathering enough signatures to put the trustees on the ballot. Extremist candidates campaigning today share the far-right’s objectives: To sow chaos, bully teachers, and undermine our schools. With massive voter turnout and by decisive margins, Rutledge and Brown were successfully recalled. The efforts of the concerned residents were remarkable. Still, serious damage was done and the future of West Bonner Schools remains uncertain. In one of their final acts, the trustees amended the superintendent’s contract, making his removal more difficult. It is imperative that Idaho avoids future calamities like this one. In November, voters across Idaho will elect school board members. Extremist candidates campaigning today share the far-right’s objectives: To sow chaos, bully teachers, and undermine our schools. Idaho voters must pay close attention to these races and vote for candidates who will protect and improve our schools, rather than tear them down. Rep. Lauren Necochea Access to clean water and protection from extreme weather aren’t luxuries. They are a matter of survival, both today and for future generations. ... Democrats are acting on the truth that addressing climate change is necessary and goes hand-in-hand with building a thriving economy. This is top of mind as Idaho faces blistering record-breaking temperatures and potential water shortages. But when it comes to addressing our changing climate, too many politicians have been content to kick the can down the road indefinitely. It is especially true in Idaho, where the Republican supermajority has responded by ignoring and often denying the problem. Fortunately, Democrats are acting on the truth that addressing climate change is necessary and goes hand-in-hand with building a thriving economy. Last week was the one-year anniversary of the Inflation Reduction Act , a decisive move to build our economy out of its pandemic slump by growing jobs and raising wages. But it did much more, making the biggest strides in our nation’s history toward protecting our climate future. The legislation makes crucial investments to tackle the climate crisis and strengthen energy security while creating jobs — despite every Republican in Congress voting against it. In the last decade, Idaho experienced 13 extreme weather events, costing billions in damages. As climate change drives harsher heat waves, more volatile weather, and record drought conditions, Idahoans feel the impacts: more costly utility bills, uncertainty for the agricultural sector that produces our food, and limitations on the time we can comfortably and safely spend outdoors. The Inflation Reduction Act advances conservation solutions and climate resilience across Idaho. The law helps Idaho’s 25,000 farms deploy climate-smart practices that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and make their operations more productive. It makes it more affordable for Idahoans to purchase energy efficient appliances and make home repairs while helping families save on their utility bills. By supporting tree planting, it delivers shade and cooler temperatures to our communities. The Act also funds wildfire prevention, protecting life and property, lowering firefighting costs, and keeping our air clean. These investments not only protect health and safety; they make good financial sense. Each dollar spent on preparedness today is worth $15 in mitigated future damage. Additionally, the Inflation Reduction Act expands the clean energy sector, bringing an estimated $320 million of investment in large-scale clean power generation and storage to Idaho between now and 2030. A historic set of tax credits creates jobs across clean energy industries. These credits include bonuses for businesses that pay a prevailing wage so that Idaho workers earn a good paycheck as we build our energy independence. The savings, jobs, and other benefits of the Inflation Reduction Act are already materializing across the nation and here in Idaho and will continue for generations to come. Democrats remain committed to building our sustainable future. Rep. Lauren Necochea Through the lenses of Times-News photographers, a look into the classrooms of the Magic Valley. As kids head back to school, families like mine feel the promise of the year ahead — a promise that depends on our dedicated teachers. Currently, teachers are putting in extra hours and digging into their own pockets to ready their classrooms and, too often, facing a heavier workload and less pay than the Legislature promised. Sadly, they are also bracing for harassment from far-right agitators. It’s therefore not surprising we see growing teacher turnover and schools with hundreds of vacancies. We must better support teachers to deliver the education we want for our children and the working conditions teachers deserve. Two recent news stories illustrate what we are up against. The first was an article in the Boston Globe about 2023 Idaho Teacher of the Year Karen Lauritzen, who left our state. The second was a KMVT piece about unfilled teaching vacancies in the Twin Falls School District less than a week before the start of school. Many districts face the same challenge and larger class sizes are the most likely fix when vacancies go unfilled. Lauritzen was nationally recognized for excellent instruction and her passion for student learning. Receiving this prestigious award should have been cause for celebration in her community. Unfortunately, the opposite occurred. Far-right conflict profiteers picked her part online, criticizing her personal social media posts expressing support for the LGBTQ+ community and opposition to excessive police violence against Black people. Idaho promised a historic boost in new money for education — but districts have set their budgets without receiving the full amount. Why? Despite having zero evidence that her personal views had any bearing on classroom instruction, parents started questioning her every move, even discussions of topics like world cultures and the United Nations. The harassment took its toll. Ultimately, Ms. Lauritzen — like many other Idaho teachers — made the difficult decision not to return. When educators exit the classroom, we pay a high price. Student achievement suffers in schools with more turnover. Attrition costs rural districts up to $9,000 per educator and $20,000 in urban districts. Alarmingly, an Idaho Education Association survey found that 51% of Idaho educators are considering early retirement or leaving the profession. Lack of funding, salaries that fall behind the cost of living, and a worsening anti-educator climate are driving qualified teachers from the classroom. Extreme Republican politicians have been deliberately sowing the seeds of doubt in public education for decades. They ignore the needs of students, parents, and educators and instead try to distract voters by politicizing our classrooms. Instead of censoring books and curricula, Idaho Democrats are working to support our educators. We are advocating for the things schools need, like reasonable class sizes and professional development. If we focus on delivering excellent educational opportunities to every child, we can build a bright future for Idaho. Rep. Lauren Necochea All Idahoans need a roof over their heads, but today’s housing market challenges residents across the income spectrum. Rapid population growth has led to home costs outpacing wages, with monthly rents climbing an average of $475 in Idaho — a staggering 41% increase — over the past three years. And a worrisome trend in out-of-state investors scooping up large swaths of properties is only exacerbating the situation. While many landlords operate in good faith, state laws allow bad actors to take advantage of having the upper hand in a tough market. Renters sometimes have no other options than to pay exorbitant application fees, exploitative charges, and steep rent hikes. Idahoans are often surprised to learn how little recourse renters have against these practices. With so much at stake for families, Idaho Democrats have worked hard to enact basic consumer protections. While there is much more progress to make, we have scored critical wins toward leveling the playing field. Until 2020, landlords could demand any level of rent increase once a lease expired with no advance notice, which often left renters scrambling. House Democratic Leader Ilana Rubel led the passage of the Fair Warning Act, requiring a 30-day notice for rent increases or terminations of a residential lease. This gives families a fighting chance at landing on their feet. This year, Sen. Ali Rabe, who leads an eviction prevention nonprofit, brought legislation to stop the surprise fees and wildly unreasonable charges she has seen unscrupulous landlords spring on renters. In one incident, a landlord billed a family $300, claiming that a praying mantis kept in a jar for a science fair was an unauthorized pet. While 34 Republican legislators voted against this commonsense legislation — a compromise between lobbyists for landlords and renters’ advocates — enough Republicans sided with Democrats to ensure fees are reasonable and spelled out in the lease ahead of time in the future. Idaho Democrats have also played defense against state legislation threatening city-level consumer protections. One city passed an ordinance to curb some landlords’ deceptive practice of charging exorbitant rental application fees and collecting fees from applicants even when no unit was available. Republican legislators attempted to restrict the power of local governments to tackle this issue through state law. Fortunately, we have been able to block this legislation. We have a lot of unfinished business, such as Senate Democratic Leader Melissa Wintrow’s bill requiring landlords to justify deductions from security deposits, which Republican legislators blocked. But all our wins have been hard-fought, multi-year efforts to get the Republican supermajority to come along. And Idaho Democrats will continue fighting for a housing market that works for all Idahoans. Rep. Lauren Necochea We know that when our small towns and communities thrive, Idaho thrives. Idaho Democrats have long supported investment in these communities to drive growth, create jobs, and ensure rural youth have the same opportunities as kids across the state. But for too long, rural Idaho has been left to struggle under the weight of broken promises and failed leadership. It’s time to do better. When rural Idaho is neglected, key sectors of our economy like food production, forestry, and renewable energy suffer. Opportunities for children and working families also narrow. Without access to affordable homes or child care, families are pushed out of their communities to find jobs elsewhere. Consequently, rural industries and small businesses are challenged by labor shortages and a shrinking customer base. Rural Idaho has different needs than our cities and we need policies that acknowledge this. Nationally, Democrats delivered big wins that will benefit rural Idaho, including long-needed repairs to roads and bridges that will bring products to market and a $583 million investment in expanded broadband access in our state. Thousands of Idahoans living in small towns and communities will be able to access the reliable, affordable internet they need to work, learn skills, and conduct business. Here at home, Idaho Democrats are working to deliver solutions, despite pushback from Republican legislators. Rural Idahoans face limited access to health care and Idaho ranks last in the nation for physicians per capita. The Republican supermajority’s criminalization of medical care is driving more doctors and nurses out of state, causing the discontinuation of rural labor and delivery services, among other issues. When a bill advanced to incentivize nurses to serve rural areas, Democrats backed it unanimously. It passed by a single vote. Idaho Democrats also overcame Republican opposition to increase investments in rural first responders because timely treatment in a medical emergency should not depend on your zip code. Our rural schools need resources as they face inadequate, crumbling facilities and severe staff shortages. Idaho Democrats continue to advocate for fair funding. In 2022, Democrats successfully passed legislation to incentivize educators to take rural teaching positions. It took several years to overcome GOP opposition to this commonsense proposal. Whether it comes to approving desperately-needed grant dollars for preschool and child care access or investing in workforce training, it has been hard to understand Republican legislators’ opposition to policies that address rural Idaho’s needs. By prioritizing investments in our rural communities and industries, we can create a stronger, more resilient Idaho for generations to come. The Idaho Democratic Party Rural Caucus is ready to be a strong and united voice for the 500,000 people who call rural Idaho home. Rep. Lauren Necochea Sally Toone Idaho’s attorney general is the top law enforcement officer in our state. We rely on that position to protect the public interest, hold wrongdoers accountable, and provide sound legal guidance to our state agencies. From upholding the rule of law to defending our rights, the attorney general holds a serious office requiring serious leadership. In six short months, Raúl Labrador has demonstrated his top priorities are advancing his extreme agenda, fueling his political ambitions, and embroiling Idaho in costly lawsuits. In one of his first moves, Labrador dismissed trespassing charges against one of his most ardent campaign supporters, despite objections from the local chief of police. Soon after, he launched a politically motivated “investigation” into cash-strapped private nonprofits serving children. The organizations had already provided all the necessary reporting for state grants they received. But Labrador served them with a demand to produce thousands of pages of unrelated and invasive documentation, including staff texts. This frivolous case will only harm our kids and waste precious state dollars. Instead of safeguarding our freedoms, Labrador finds every possible opportunity to undermine them. He published an opinion arguing it is illegal for Idaho doctors to inform patients about their options for lawful abortions in other states. Such a gag order would subvert our right to freedom of speech. He rescinded the opinion without offering clarifying guidance for doctors, spurring another costly lawsuit against the state. Most recently, Labrador signed onto a lawsuit seeking access to your private medical records for care you receive out of state, in his quest to prosecute abortions outside his jurisdiction. Democrats are not alone in our alarm. More than 50 prominent Idaho Republicans, including former Gov. Phil Batt and former Secretary of State Ben Ysura, endorsed his Democratic opponent. Labrador’s level of dysfunction is just what these respected Republicans feared, if not worse. Sitting Republican legislators are frustrated that Labrador refuses to deliver requested legal analysis — a service they relied upon for decades — and hired an out-of-state staffer lacking critical legal credentials for a top post. Republican representatives helped kill the proposed AG Office budget to communicate their discontent. Meanwhile, the office has lost dozens of dedicated, experienced staff. In a resignation letter, one attorney warned of Labrador and his allies, “They instead appear intent on dismantling government, and doing so without regard for the people who believe in public service who fall in their wake.” Labrador was ushered into office with big money from deep out-of-state pockets. Their goal seems to be positioning their far-right darling for higher office. We mustn’t allow one man’s political ambitions to undermine our rule of law, our freedoms, or our right to functioning state agencies. Idahoans deserve better. Rep. Lauren Necochea I have to believe that no Idahoan wants to let a child go hungry. Making sure our children are nourished requires special attention in summer. When school meals are unavailable, there is additional pressure on families earning modest wages and it’s harder to make groceries stretch. It is therefore confounding that Idaho opted out of a summer food program that would have fed 123,000 kids across the state with $15 million available for our families. The root cause of this failure is poor leadership. Under single-party rule, a complete lack of accountability — compounded by decades of underinvestment in our schools — ultimately failed our kids. Our children’s access to food should have been a serious priority. It’s harder for kids to learn on an empty stomach and food insecurity impacts everything from a child’s mental and physical health to their future economic prosperity. That’s why it’s crucial to take advantage of every opportunity to nourish our kids. This new federal program first launched in 2020, providing eligible families with the cost of breakfast and lunch that their children receive during the school year when school is out. These extra funds for food cost Idaho nothing but required coordination between the state Department of Education and the Department of Health and Welfare to determine eligibility and administer benefits. Over the intervening years and with a leadership change at the Department of Education, elected Republican officials had the opportunity to act. They could have fought for an appropriation needed to implement the program, ensured schools could update the necessary data systems, and put a plan in place to implement the program. Instead, they did nothing. The deadline to participate in the 2023 summer passed earlier this month with no action. While Republican state leaders dropped the ball in such a profound way, they have no sense of accountability to the kids and families who are impacted. The Department of Education’s explanations that changing course would be “difficult” or “that’s the way it was done before” are not much better than Gov. Brad Little refusing to comment on the mess at all. The uncomfortable truth is that elected Republicans calculated that they could deny Idaho families their due benefits without any consequences because the kids at risk of going hungry have no political power. And the Idaho Republican Party’s walled-off primary elections reward not what is right, but what is the most extreme. Denying summer meals for Idaho children is an administrative failure and a moral outrage. One-party rule will continue to harm Idahoans and put our shared prosperity at risk — until we change it. This summer, our children will pay the price. We can and must do better. Rep. Lauren Necochea STK In the Times-News of July 15, Rep. Lauren Necochea, with the headline " Democrats are building stronger, more resilient recovery ," claims that "real wages for the average American worker are now higher than they were before the pandemic." This is clearly wrong as inflation (caused in large part by President Joe Biden's super-sized giveaways) has easily outstripped wage gains. Also, in the same July 15 edition, Dorothy Moon, with the headline, " Kari Lake's Idaho visit will only fuel grassroots enthusiasm ," claims that "Lake has solidified her prominence as a leading figure in the fight for election integrity ...," when, in fact, she refused to concede the election and sued in an attempt to have the results overturned and that lawsuit was rejected by the courts and she was fined $33,000 in fees. It would be nice to have just a little more truth in these opinions. Ken Downs Kimberly The National Defense Authorization Act funds the annual budget for the Department of Defense. It usually passes on a bipartisan basis. Recently, House Republicans broke that tradition and loaded the bill with amendments that eliminate all diversity, equity, and inclusion programs in the Defense Department. It blocked the Pentagon from putting in place President Biden’s executive orders on climate change; ends reimbursement to military personnel who travel for abortion services, bars health care for gender transition, prevents schools associated with the Defense Department from teaching that the U.S. is racist, and blocks military schools from having certain books in their libraries. House Speaker McCarthy proudly tweeted that “the bill ENDS wokism in the military and gives our troops their biggest pay raise.” Think about it. House Republicans are hijacking our national security for morality issues that have been a part of the planet since the dawn of humanity. You might not agree with gender transition, or abortion, or the color of someone’s skin, but are you willing to sacrifice our national security to keep people in power who are legislating health care when they have no training in health care? Would you go to your state representative to have bladder surgery, or to deliver a baby? Rather than delivering solutions on climate change (just talk to insurance companies — yes, it is real), economic inequality, or cyber and racially motivated hate crimes that will eventually destroy us all, extremists are legislating whether someone can read a book. President Trump pulverized the NATO alliance. Putin has been obliterating Ukraine ever since. Diplomacy has thankfully expanded the alliance with a grateful Sweden. Regrettably, we’re edging closer to confrontation with Russia or China. It won’t be reading a book, getting transition care, or having an abortion that will determine the defense response. Act. Vote the crazies out. Kate Lopez Twin Falls I grew up on a small ranch and embraced animal agriculture long before I graduated from veterinary school. Animal agriculture is a noble enterprise, providing sustenance for billions of people and livelihoods for millions. Cockfighting, on the other hand, is a disgrace and a crime, providing no benefit to anyone but the people who enjoy animal bloodletting. The Fighting Inhumane Gambling and High-Risk Trafficking (FIGHT) Act, S. 1529, closes loopholes in the enforcement of animal fighting laws that allow criminals to sell fighting animals and generate vast sums of money from illegal gambling. I have become more concerned lately about the future of agriculture in our country as Senior Veterinarian for Animal Wellness Action. There are powerful individuals, foundations, and organizations intent on smearing animal agriculture and not distinguishing between legitimate uses of animals and gratuitous abuses of them. Cockfighting bears no resemblance to animal agriculture. If we in animal agriculture do not distinguish between this kind of evil, and the proper, acceptable uses of animals, we will see people turn away from animal agriculture. Now it’s time to work to strengthen the federal law, so that the nation can better distinguish between proper animal use and the worst forms of malicious cruelty. It is past due that the cockfighters hang up their spurs and halt their criminal animal abuse. Support the FIGHT Act, S. 1529 and H.R. 2742, to oppose cruelty and support integrity of agriculture. Thomas Pool Norman, Oklahoma Brainwashed? Think again Solomon Asch performed some exceptional psychology experiments in the 1950s. His experiments showed the power of conformity when people sometimes agree with a group’s opinion, even when shown evidence the group is wrong. But in the 1950s, Asch could not determine whether his subjects consciously changed their views or whether social cues unconsciously skewed their perception. In 2005, Gregory Berns answered this question by repeating Asch’s experiment with brain scans. Berns found the brain’s visual center changed what it perceived to fit with the group opinion before it passed this information to the reasoning part of the brain: So people “see” evidence that doesn’t exist and do not know their perception is false. And as this process is common, it has crucial practical implications for all of us. For instance, if self-deception is unconscious, we must choose our company carefully. We safeguard our thinking by mixing with skeptical people who make evidence-based decisions and only use reputable sources. We must avoid the company of the deceived. A radio or TV constantly blaring nonsense might be enough to poison a mind. It also means we must show compassion when talking to climate, vaccine, or election deniers because, unconsciously, their brains may have “shown” them evidence that does not exist. Let’s not assume people are brainwashed when all it takes for most of us is a light rinse. Simon Smith Pullman, Washington Truth or fiction? In the Times-News of July 15, Rep. Lauren Necochea, with the headline “ Democrats are building stronger, more resilient recovery ,” claims that “real wages for the average American worker are now higher than they were before the pandemic.” This is clearly wrong as inflation (caused in large part by President Joe Biden’s super-sized giveaways) has easily outstripped wage gains. Also, in the same July 15 edition, Dorothy Moon, with the headline, “ Kari Lake’s Idaho visit will only fuel grassroots enthusiasm ,” claims that “Lake has solidified her prominence as a leading figure in the fight for election integrity ...,” when, in fact, she refused to concede the election and sued in an attempt to have the results overturned and that lawsuit was rejected by the courts and she was fined $33,000 in fees. It would be nice to have just a little more truth in these opinions. Ken Downs Kimberly It’s not the job of government What’s the role of government? Is it to dictate to the people what there morals are or what religion they should belong to? During the territorial days of Idaho the Republican Party in 1884 passed the Idaho Test Othh. The purpose of this law was to keep members of the LDS faith from voting or holding public office. The Democratic Attorney General, Richard Z. Johnson, opposed the law to the Idaho Territorial Supreme Court in 1888, when they upheld the law. He appealed it all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court and lost again. At the time this law was passed, it disenfranchised 25% of the voters in Idaho. As a result of this law, the statehouse went from the control of the Democratic Party to the control of the Republican Party. In this case, a law was passed on the moral basis that plural marriage was bad, therefore members of the LDS faith could not vote or hold office. It is not government’s place to punish people because of their beliefs as long as those beliefs do no harm. Edward Easterling Kimberly Ukraine in NATO isn’t good for US If Ukraine were to be included in NATO now, it would automatically require the U.S. to go to war with Russia. NATO-type defense treaties contain a “common defense pledge” that requires every member nation to defend an attack against any other treaty nation. (“ What is Article 5? “ magicvalley.com , July 13). George Washington warned against getting involved in “permanent alliances with any portion of the foreign world.” Democracies like Athens and Rome saw that group defense treaties were made by two or more kings wishing to protect their dynasties against another more aggressive king. Democracies have always believed it is best to stay on the sidelines regarding these kinds of petty personal squabbles and to avoid binding future generations to wars they might not agree with. Washington also learned from the Bible, where prophets like Isaiah warned Israel against “association” with other nations. After several hundred years of democratic independence, northern Israel made a common defense treaty due to their fear of aggressive Assyria, and southern Judea made a common defense pledge out of fear of autocratic Babylon. Both treaties led to complacency, decline in the fortitude of the people, aggravation of the militancy of the aggressor nation, and Israel’s dark journey into Assyrian and Babylonian captivity. Our current treaty obligations require us to get involved in virtually every war in Europe and Asia. Is that the future we want for our grandchildren? Kimball Shinkoskey Woods Cross, Utah An economy should serve the people who power it, not the other way around. Building such an economy requires making smart investments in our communities, empowering workers and small business owners, and cutting costs for families. Democrats are working to grow the economy from the middle out and the bottom up, not the top down. Historic progress over the last 2 1/2 years — including the lowest unemployment in over 50 years and 13.2 million new jobs — shows our agenda is working. Democrats have driven billions of dollars in investments, jobs, and economic opportunities in Idaho alone. Micron broke ground on a $15 billion Boise manufacturing facility expected to create 2,000 good-paying jobs following the passage of the Chips & Science Act. Democrats are working to bring manufacturing jobs back home, even while Idaho’s Republican delegation voted against this legislation to strengthen our national and economic security. Rural communities are also benefiting from Democratic leadership. Idaho was awarded $583 million to expand broadband services. Thousands of Idahoans living in small towns and communities will be able to access the reliable, affordable internet they need to work, learn skills, and conduct business. In towns like Driggs, Cascade and Priest River, critical funds will repair roads, bridges, and other long-neglected infrastructure. These projects were made possible by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, championed by Democrats. Democrats are fighting to give families more breathing room by lowering costs. Over 324,000 Idaho residents with Medicare will benefit from the $2,000 yearly cap on out-of-pocket prescription drug costs and a $35 monthly cap on insulin. Earlier this week, Vice President Kamala Harris announced new steps to lower the cost of childcare, making it possible for parents to stay on the job. It is no accident that the United States has seen the strongest pandemic recovery of any leading economy. It is a direct result of the Democratic economic agenda that prioritizes working families. For the 12th straight month, annual inflation has fallen and real wages for the average American worker are now higher than they were before the pandemic. This strategy of boosting working Americans into an expanding middle class fuels local businesses because more families can afford shoes for their kids, car repairs, and other goods and services on Main Street. While our work isn’t finished, our economy grows stronger every day. But this progress is at risk. MAGA Republicans continue pushing failed trickle-down policies: heaping expensive tax treats onto the well-off and profitable corporations that blow up the deficit and do nothing for regular people. Idahoans deserve a vibrant economy in which working families benefit from their contributions. Democrats will keep fighting for an economy that works for all. Rep. Lauren Necochea State Rep. Lauren Necochea is chair of the Idaho Democratic Party. Get opinion pieces, letters and editorials sent directly to your inbox weekly!

CMA plans to allow former expatriates in Saudi and other Gulf states to invest in TASIOrca carried her dead calf for 17 days. She now has a new babyMinneapolis, MN (MinnPost) WASHINGTON -- When this year began, Gov. Tim Walz's election as the new head of the Democratic Governors Association set him on a course to raise his profile - but who knew he would be at the center of the biggest political story of the year? Walz began 2024 focused on duties typical of a Minnesota governor: naming judicial appointments, announcing a new state infrastructure plan and naming the eight winners of the 2023-24 Name a Snowplow contest. The governor had problems, sure. He had to deal with the fallout of the $250 million "Feeding our Future" scandal, in which dodgy nonprofit groups claimed to distribute meals to schoolchildren during the pandemic. Instead, more than two dozen people involved were convicted or pleaded guilty to charges including fraud, bribery and money laundering. Walz also had to defend state spending that could lead to a future budget deficit and was concerned the DFL might not be able to hang on to its majorities in the state Legislature. But he faced a unique challenge in July when a group of Democratic governors wanted to meet with President Joe Biden to discuss concerns about the president's rocky debate performance with Donald Trump. As head of the DGA, Walz was in charge of trying to arrange a meeting between the governors and Biden, who had not reached out to those Democrats as concerns about the president's health escalated. Some of those governors, like Maryland's Wes Moore and Rhode Island's Dan McKee were Biden boosters. But others, including California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Michigan's Gretchen Whitmer, had been floated as potential presidential candidates themselves. Walz walked out of the meeting with Moore and New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, another Biden ally, and claimed all was well. "Yes, fit for office," the governor said in response to a question from a reporter, tamping down Democratic fears about Biden's ability to lead the nation. Walz's calming of the political waters became a turning point in his political career. How he handled the sensitive visit to the White House was appreciated by the Biden-Harris campaign team - and it put him on the radar when Biden decided he would not seek a second term. There were plenty of good VP candidates Vice President Kamala Harris, who replaced Biden at the top of the Democratic ticket, could have chosen as running mates, especially Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear and Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly. In fact, Las Vegas bettors gave Walz low odds at becoming the Democratic vice presidential pick. But no one campaigned harder than Walz. He took to social media and cable news shows. Americans who had never heard of him warmed to his Midwesternisms and his interactions with his daughter Hope, who became an internet star in her own right. Walz also came up with a popular insult to Donald Trump and his camp, calling them "weird" and boosting his candidacy as an effective communicator. Walz's Midwestern roots and his progressive record as governor also had an appeal to the new Harris for President campaign. Eventually, after what was characterized as a successful interview with Harris, Walz got the job. That's when his political and personal life zoomed in a totally different direction. No longer would Walz spend his days on the more predictable job of governing Minnesota. Now he was on the national stage, giving stump speeches across the country and enlisting his wife, Gwen, and daughter Hope to help during a compressed campaign for the White House. He also drew white-hot media attention, which resurrected his misstatements about his rank when he retired from the National Guard, the fertility treatments he and Gwen used to conceive their children and the timing of his visit to China's Tiananmen Square (he was not there during a military crackdown on protesters, as he has said.) Under pressure during his debate with Sen. JD Vance, Walz called himself a "knucklehead" for his misstatements. The governor was deployed to reach out to small-town and rural America, and try to connect with male voters who were cool to Harris. Gwen Walz also proved to be adept at giving political speeches. Like her husband, she deployed to key swing states that would decide the election. But the furious effort to win the White House failed, and Walz is now back home working out of the State Capitol in St. Paul. He has joined a long list of losing vice-presidential candidates, a list that includes Teddy Roosevelt, Walter Mondale, John Edwards, Sarah Palin, Paul Ryan and Tim Kaine. Most never won a national election after their attempt to become vice president. Walz was philosophical after his loss, saying the campaign gave him a good tour of the nation. But he also said he was "a little surprised" Americans rejected the Harris-Walz ticket. "It felt like at the rallies, at the things I was going to, the shops I was going in, that the momentum was going our way," Walz told Tom Hauser of KTSP-TV earlier this month. "And it obviously wasn't at the end of time." In an interview with MPR News, he also rued why he, the least wealthy candidate for vice president, did not connect with voters who preferred Trump. "I thought it was a real flex when the Wall Street Journal pointed out that I might have been the least wealthy person to ever run for vice president," Walz said on MPR. "And I thought that would be something people say, "Well, this guy knows where we're coming from. He's had to pay his bills, he had to and still does."" Walz, who had to leave his job as the head of the DGA when he became a vice-presidential candidate, is now one of the 23 Democratic governors who will, in one way or another, be forced to contend with Trump's agenda, which is likely to clash with their policies on health care, immigration, LGTBQ rights, education and other issues. In that interview with MPR News, Walz said there are redlines where he would fight against the policies of a Trump presidency and a GOP Congress, including any that restrict abortion access or those aimed at ending vaccine requirements in Minnesota's public schools Will he run for reelection? Walz says he hasn't decided yet. This story is provided as a service of the Institute for Nonprofit News’ On the Ground news wire. The Institute for Nonprofit News (INN) is a network of more than 475 independent, nonprofit newsrooms serving communities throughout the US, Canada, and globally. On the Ground is a service of INN, which aggregates the best of its members’ elections and political content, and provides it free for republication. Read more about INN here: https://inn.org/ . Please coordinate with edunbar@minnpost.com should you want to publish photos for this piece. This content cannot be modified, apart from rewriting the headline. To view the original version, visit: http://www.minnpost.com/national/2024/12/a-2024-lookback-gov-tim-walzs-very-weird-year/